The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has today published reports by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) into its recent inspections of Dental clinics and Adult Social Care service providers.
These inspections covered Community Dental services delivered and operated by Manx Care, and services provided through contractual arrangements with independent Dental practices on the Island. Adult Social Care services provided directly by Manx Care, and those delivered through commissioned service providers, have also been inspected.
It’s important to highlight that practices were reviewed against standards set by the CQC, shaped by policy and legislation in the UK, which may differ from local policy and legislation.
In total, 12 Dental services and 43 Adult Social Care services were inspected, with all found to be ‘caring’ services.
The inspection feedback from various Dental practices indicated that staff treated patients with dignity and respect, the service had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement, and staff provided preventative care and supported patients to ensure better oral health. In terms of administration, services dealt with complaints positively and efficiently, and appointment systems took account of patients’ needs.
Regarding Adult Social Care services, inspection feedback showed that services were generally able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of culture, control and choice, with service users (and their relatives where appropriate) involved in agreeing support plans and goals. Staff knew service users and their needs well, and could clearly explain how they were supported to maintain their privacy and dignity. It was also noted that relatives generally spoke positively about staff teams, saying they were kind and caring.
Some areas for improvement have been highlighted in the reports, giving us an opportunity to work with our service providers and stakeholders to drive positive changes for patients and service users. Where any concerns have been raised, risk to patients is minor.
In some circumstances, inspection reports have helped in focusing attention on local policy and procedures that need to be updated to align with CQC standards. This work has already commenced, with changes already made in line with CQC recommendations.
The inspections took place over the summer, and many of the recommendations made have already been actioned, or are in the process of being so. Some of the recommendations for improvement have been implemented quickly, whereas others will take time to deliver. Where services are delivered on behalf of Manx Care through commissioned arrangements, Manx Care is working with providers to support them through contractual arrangements to implement improvements to service delivery. Action plans either have been or are being developed for Social Care and for Primary and Community Care, which will cover Dental services. These will fall under the remit of Manx Care’s existing governance framework so that the organisation can monitor progress and provide assurance to the DHSC and the Manx public of the improvements being driven across its services.
Teresa Cope, CEO of Manx Care, commented:
“I’m really pleased to see that our teams have received some excellent feedback, and am glad that our colleagues are being recognised for their focus on delivering person-centred care. This is a great opportunity to engage in action planning to drive improvement, and it’s fantastic to see that some of this work has already started.”
Further CQC reports will be published in the coming months, covering a range of services across Manx Care.
