A DENTAL practice in Ulverston has been ordered to make improvements following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Benson Street Dental and Beauty was found to be failing to meet the required standards of management leadership and safety, according to the inspection report.

Because the CQC  does not regulate beauty treatments, the inspection, carried out on August 16 at the practice, focussed only on the dental side of the practice.

The dental team includes three dentists, one of whom undertakes orthodontic treatment, four dental nurses, one of whom is a trainee, one dental hygienist, two decontamination room technicians, one of whom also works on reception, one practice co-ordinator, a receptionist and the practice manager. 

The inspection report concluded that there was no proper and safe management of medicines, in particular.

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"There were no stock control records for sedative medication, for example, Temazepam," it said.

"This medicine was not being managed as described in recognised guidance - we observed it was kept in a cupboard which was unlocked throughout our visit, with the key in the door.

"Patient information leaflets were not being provided to patients, following administration of this medicine."

The report also found that systems and processes in place to support the management of Legionella were ineffective.

"Staff were checking and recording hot water temperatures to support thermic control of Legionella," it said.

"When hot water fell below the temperature required in a primary care setting, this was not reported and acted on."

The practice's recruitment management was also criticised.

"Staff recruitment records did not contain proof of identity, proof of address, evidence of immunity to blood-borne diseases," the report said.

"Background checks, for example, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, were not completed at the time of employment. 

"Some checks submitted by staff due to start work were more than six months old."

Staff training records, in particular relating to infection control, were found to be lacking.

"For basic life support training which should be completed annually, the provider could not show records to demonstrate all staff had undertaken this
training at the required intervals," the report said.

"For infection prevention and control training there were no records to evidence that all staff had received training, or had access to (document) this to refer to."