A WATCHDOG has called for improvements at a York dental surgery after an inspection identified safety concerns.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) says it found Clock House Dental in Heworth Village was not providing safe care in accordance with relevant regulations - although the impact in terms of clinical care for patients was minor.

The Commission’s report says it carried out an announced comprehensive inspection in April 2016 and concluded services were effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

However, the surgery did not have effective systems and processes in place to ensure all care and treatment was carried out safely.

It says there were systems in place for infection prevention and control, clinical waste management, dental radiography and management of medical emergencies, but some emergency equipment was not available or was out of date, including face masks, portable suction device and a self-inflating resuscitation bag.

It says not all staff had received training in safeguarding adults and children, although staff knew how to recognise the signs of abuse and who to report them to.

“Staff were not always appropriately recruited and not always suitably trained and skilled to meet patients’ needs,” says the report.

“Staff induction processes were in place but had not always been completed and a mentor system was not fully in place for new members of staff.”

The CQC makes a series of recommendations, including reviewing protocols for the use of a ‘rubber dam’ for root canal treatment, reviewing the storage of dental care products and medicines requiring refrigeration, ensuring staff are up to date with mandatory training and ensuring all clinical staff have completed up to date safeguarding adults and children course.

The report says it received 21 comment cards from patients, who were positive about the care and treatment they received. “They told us they were involved in all aspects of their care and were very pleased with the service,” it says.

“They found the staff to be helpful, gentle, patient and friendly. Also the staff had good communication skills, were efficient and they treated patients with dignity and respect in a clean and tidy environment.”

Aslam Khan, the owner of the practice, said concerns related to administrative issues. He said many of the issues had been quickly addressed. He said: "We were quite disappointed but it was an opportunity to ensure that not only are we meeting the targets but that we are excelling."