We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 15 July 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

42 The Dental Practice is located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and provides private dental services. The service offers routine and specialist dental care including Periodontics, Endodontics, Orthodontics and Oral Surgery. The practice is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6.00pm.

The premises consists of three treatment rooms, a decontamination room and a waiting area.

The practice comprises of a principal dentist, seven dentists and five dental nurses and a practice manager.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual registered persons. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

During the inspection we asked patients to complete CQC comment cards. We received 20 comment cards back from patients and spoke with three patients on the day of the inspection. The patients who provided feedback were positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. They told us they were involved in all aspects of their care and found the staff to be caring, friendly and helpful and they were treated with care, dignity and respect.

Our key findings were:

• There were effective processes in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with best practice guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) .Patients were involved in their care and treatment planning.
• There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties and equipment was well maintained.
• Staff were trained in and there was appropriate equipment for them to respond to medical emergencies.
• Patients told us that staff were caring and treated them with dignity and respect.
• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and caring practice team.
• There were processes in place for patients to give their comments and feedback about the service including making complaints and compliments.
• There were good governance arrangements and an effective management structure.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review it’s responsibilities as regards to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 and, ensure all documentation is up to date and staff understand how to minimise risks associated with the use of and handling of these substances.
• Review the practice’s safeguarding policy to ensure staff are aware of local safeguarding contacts.
• Review the practice’s sharps procedures giving due regard to the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.
• Review staff awareness of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Act as it relates to their role.
• Review the practice’s protocols for conscious sedation, giving due regard to 2015 guidelines published by The Intercollegiate Advisory Committee on Sedation in Dentistry in the document 'Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care 2015’.
• Review the protocols and procedures to ensure staff are up to date with their mandatory training and their Continuing Professional Development.
• Review the practice’s audit protocols to ensure audits of various aspects of the service, such as radiography and dental care records are undertaken at regular intervals to help improve the quality of service. Practice should also check that where applicable audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.
• Review stocks of medicines and the system for identifying and disposing of out-of-date stock.

We did not speak to people using the service on this occasion. However, we saw feedback from people using the service that indicated that they were given adequate information about their treatment and that they were satisfied with the care and treatment they received.