Updated 10 November 2017
We carried out this announced inspection on 12 October 2017 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.
We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information.
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
Grays Inn Rd Dental Surgery is in Kings Cross, in the London borough of Camden. It provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages. The practice began providing dental services in January 2017.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs at the entrance only. There are limited restricted parking spaces available near the practice.
The clinical dental team includes five dentists, a dental hygienist, two qualified dental nurses, and a trainee dental nurse. The non-clinical team includes a receptionist, three practice managers, and a registered manager.
The practice has a treatment room on the ground floor and another treatment room on the lower ground floor.
The practice is owned by a partnership/company 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 Grays Inn Rd Dental Surgery was one of the partners.
On the day of inspection we collected feedback from 11 patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, the receptionist, two practice managers and the registered manager. We checked practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- The practice 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 appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment, taking into account guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society.
- Review its responsibilities to the needs of people with a disability, with regard to those with hearing difficulties, and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.