17 November 2011
Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors have told West Street Dental Practice in Congleton, Cheshire that it is not meeting essential standards and that it must improve.
Inspectors have identified major concerns about standards in six outcome areas. These are: the care and welfare of people who use services, cleanliness and infection control, safety, availability and suitability of equipment, requirements relating to workers, staffing and supporting staff.
The report concludes patients using this service may not have received effective, safe and appropriate treatment.
It also details that the practice does not comply with requirements on cleanliness and infection control. Inspectors could not find evidence to show denture work was disinfected before fitting. Bags of clinical waste were overfilled and split and stored near clean items, which could have led to cross-contamination.
Inspectors also found people may have been at risk of harm from equipment that was not fit for purpose with an x-ray machine in poor condition and no device installed to prevent mercury from getting into the waste water system.
There were also insufficient staff with the right knowledge, experience, qualifications and skills, the report continues, which means patients may have been at risk of not having their health needs met.
By law, providers of certain adult social care and health care services have a responsibility to make sure they are meeting essential standards of quality and safety. These are the standards everyone should be able to expect when they receive care.
CQC regional director Sue McMillan said: "What we found at this practice is extremely concerning and we’re confident any patients using this service would share our concerns.
"This is the first time we’ve had major concerns about a dental provider, with this group only recently having come under regulation by the CQC. It is cases such as these that show the value of regulation.
"The provider must improve or may face enforcement action, which could include a notice of proposal to cancel registration."
Ends
For further information please contact the CQC press office on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.
Notes to editors
West Street Dental Practice no longer has a contract with Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust to provide services to NHS patients.
About the CQC: Snippet for press releases
About the Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve.
We monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and we publish what we find to help people choose care.
Read the reports
Read the reports from our checks on standards at West Street Dental Practice.