Leadership lets down dental practice on inspection by watchdog

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Wynyard Dental, in The Stables, Wynyard, found it met a host of its standards, finding it offered safe and effective care and was responsive to patients, including to their emergencies and offered interpreters if needed and access if they had mobility issues.

However, its bosses were told more must be done to strengthen how it is led.

Since the visit from inspectors in November, it says it has taken steps to address concerns.

In the report, the CQC says: “We found that this practice was not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

“We have told the provider to take action.”

While the visit found the registered partners visited the premises during the week and were available on the phone to staff at any time, workers told inspectors they were not aware of who was responsible for leading infection prevention and control or safeguarding within the practice.

Issues were noted over the lack of recruitment documents in files and a policy for taking on staff.

It added: “The practice had never undertaken a fire risk assessment, a disability access assessment and risk assessments of any materials held within the dental premises.

“The Legionella risk assessment was not followed through nor repeated as per the risk assessor’s recommendation.”

It also said staff did not receive alerts from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which a regulator of medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion and is responsible for ensuring their safety, quality and effectiveness.

Nick Fleming, managing partner of the practice, said: “We have noted the recommendations made in that CQC report and have taken steps to rectify the issues highlighted.

“We now have everything in place to be compliant with the regulations.

“Patients with any concerns are welcome to contact us for reassurance.”

The report also detailed how the practice was visibly clean and free from clutter, had systems for recording incidents and accidents, that its staff received annual medical emergency training, dental professionals provided treatment in accordance with current professional guidelines, patients could access urgent care when required and that complaints were “dealt with in an efficient and positive manner.”

It also said an infection prevention and control policy was in place, with inspectors witnessing sterilisation procedures followed recommended guidance.

The full report can be read via http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-303261751.