Bupa Dental Care Brampton

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 4 April 2023 under section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions.

We planned the inspection to check whether the registered practice was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations.

The inspection was led by a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector who was supported by a specialist dental advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 questions:

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

Our findings were:

• The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises. Improvements should be made to ensure any recommendations made following fire or electrical safety assessments are actioned.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation. Improvements should be made to ensure these checks are carried out consistently for all team members at the point of recruitment.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• Changes could be made to the auditing protocols to ensure action plans are created, where applicable, to drive continual improvement.
• Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

The provider is part of a dental group, with multiple practices. This report is about Bupa Dental Care Brampton.

The practice is in Brampton in Cumbria and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

The practice is located across 2 buildings and due to the restrictions of these buildings, it is not accessible for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice is located close to local transport routes and car parking spaces are available nearby.

The dental team includes 2 dentists, 5 dental nurses including 1 trainee, 2 dental hygienists, 2 interim practice managers and 3 receptionists. The practice has 4 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 1 dental nurse, a practice manager from a sister practice and the 2 interim practice managers. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Improve the practice protocols regarding auditing patient dental care records to check that necessary information is recorded. The practice should also ensure that, where appropriate, audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.
• Improve the practice's systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. In particular relating to the management of fire and electrical safety.
• Implement an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.