Updated 8 June 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 10 May 2018 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 provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five 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:
Are services safe?
We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Papineni Dental Practice is in South Woodham Ferrers, and provides NHS treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking is available near the practice.
The dental team includes one dentist and one dental nurse. The practice has one treatment room.
The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. The registered manager at Papineni Dental Practice was the principal dentist.
On the day of inspection we collected 52 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with two other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with the dentist and the dental nurse. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Thursday from 9am to 6pm. Patients are referred to the sister practice in Benfleet or the 111 out of hours service when the practice is closed.
Our key findings were:
- We received positive comments from patients about the dental care they received and the staff who delivered it.
- The practice staff had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were mostly available with the exception of a paediatric reservoir bag and clear face masks which were immediately ordered.
- The practice staff had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The practice asked patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice staff dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice's protocols for completion of dental care records taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice and review the practice’s protocols for recording in the patients’ dental care records or elsewhere the reason for taking X-rays, a report on the findings and the quality of the image in compliance with Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account the guidance for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-ray Equipment.
- Review staff awareness of young people’s competency in relation to consent and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities in relation to this.
- Review the practice’s system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.