We carried out this announced inspection on 22 January 2018 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We planned the inspection to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• Is it caring?

• Is it responsive to people’s needs?

• Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

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

Beighton Dental Care is in Beighton, Sheffield and provides privately funded dental treatment to adults and children.

There is ramp access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes the principal dentist, three dental nurses and two dental hygiene therapists. There is also a practice manager, a practice director and a cleaner. The practice has two treatment rooms and two instrument decontamination rooms.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection we collected three CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, two dental nurses and the practice director. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Thursday 9am – 6pm.

Friday and Saturday by arrangement only.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which mostly reflected published guidance; some areas for improvement were identified.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. The management of emergency medicines and equipment could be improved.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk. The sharps risk assessment required updating.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review the practice’s system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.
• Review the practice’s sharps procedures and ensure the practice is in compliance with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 by updating the risk assessment to include who is responsible for disposing of needles and other sharp dental items.
• Review availability of medicines and equipment to manage medical emergencies taking into account guidelines issued by the British National Formulary, the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team. The provider must ensure a risk assessment is undertaken if a decision is made to not have an AED on-site.
• Review the systems for checking, validating and monitoring equipment taking into account current national guidance and ensure that all equipment is well maintained and validated. This includes equipment used for cleaning and sterilising dental instruments and air conditioning units.

• Review the practice’s infection control audit protocol to ensure that an action plan is produced and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.