Practice devastated by fire given top inspection result
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 22nd March 2018
As reported in the Plymouth Herald, a dental centre in the city devastated by a suspected arson attack last year has been rated a ‘notable practice’ by inspectors.
Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the practice the highest possible in categories: safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led.
Livewell Southwest practice was closed after the fire last August, but Tessa Fielding, manager for the Dental Access Centre, said the CQC inspectors were impressed at how quickly the place was restored.
She said: “The fire caused major problems, with one floor out of action because of smoke and water damage. But staff here and colleagues from across Livewell Southwest pitched in and we managed to minimise the impact to patients by arranging them to be seen at alternative sites for the weeks we were forced to close treatment rooms.
“The inspectors were really keen to see how we put our emergency plan into action and were impressed at the way it all worked.
“This fantastic report is testament to the commitment, enthusiasm and professionalism of every member of the team.”
Notes made about the practice include the staff’s commitment to promoting equality of access for all patients and seeking out vulnerable groups. Also, the practice had an on-site interpreter planned in advance for those with language barriers of hearing impairments, as well as the installation of a wheelchair platform.
The inspectors said: “These approaches demonstrate a commitment to identifying and responding to the needs of individual patients and to the needs of vulnerable groups and supporting patients to achieve positive outcomes in respect of their oral health.“
