Centre Point Dental Practice

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance. The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our assessment on 21 May 2024.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

The judgement for Learning culture is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Safe systems, pathways and transitions is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Safeguarding is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Involving people to manage risks is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

At the assessment on 29 November 2024, we found the practice had made improvements to comply with the regulations. Robust and thorough systems had been introduced to ensure all medical emergency equipment, medicines and dental materials were readily available and in date. In addition, the practice had implemented a daily log which recorded the temperature of the fridge to ensure that glucagon, which is a medicine used to treat low blood sugar, was stored at temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, according to manufacturer’s instructions. Cleaning products and hazardous substances were stored within a locked cupboard, ensuring compliance with Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

The practice had taken action to address the findings of a fire risk assessment which had been completed on 13 May 2024. This included installing emergency lighting, completing fire drills which recorded the evacuation time, and carrying out and recording in-house checks of the fire safety equipment. In addition, an electrical installation condition report, and action taken to address the findings, had been completed on 17 November 2024. The practice had implemented an effective system to track and monitor the use of NHS prescription pads. A weekly audit was carried out to further monitor their use. The practice had also made further improvements by assessing and mitigating the risks associated with lone working.

The judgement for Safe and effective staffing is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

At the assessment on 29 November 2024, we found the practice had made improvements to comply with the regulations. We saw that the decontamination of dental instruments aligned with guidance issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01:05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices. Staff were routinely checking the temperature of the water used to manually clean contaminated dental instruments, ensuring it was below 45 degrees Celsius. All decontaminated instruments were wrapped and dated, and there were systems in place to ensure unused instruments were reprocessed within 1 year. In addition, a cleaning log was used to monitor the efficacy of environmental cleaning.

Arrangements for identifying and mitigating the risks associated with Legionella and other bacteria developing in the water systems had improved. The practice had taken action to address the findings of a Legionella risk assessment which had been completed on 16 May 2024. This included recording the hot and cold water temperatures at sentinel water outlets and engaging an external contractor to carry out remedial work of the plumbing system, such as removing dead legs. Further improvements were required to ensure staff took appropriate action when the temperatures at sentinel water outlets were not in expected parameters. Staff told us that the remedial work of the plumbing system would be completed by 2 January 2025.

The judgement for Medicines optimisation is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.