We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 14 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

Benhill Dental Practice is located in the London Borough of Sutton. The premises are situated in a converted residential building. There are four treatment rooms, a reception room with waiting area, a second waiting room patient toilet, and a staff kitchen and changing room. These are distributed across the ground and first floors of the building.

The practice provides NHS and private services to adults and children. The practice offers a range of dental services including routine examinations and treatment, veneers and crowns and bridges.

The staff structure of the practice consists of a principal dentist, an associate dentist, a dental nurse, a trainee dental nurse, a hygienist, a receptionist and a practice manager. There are two, other dental care providers who are also registered at the same location. The reception staff, and some of the governance arrangements, are shared across the three providers.

The practice opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual, registered person. 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.

The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

Thirty-three people provided feedback about the service. Patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the dental staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• There were effective systems in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• Staff reported incidents and kept records of these which the practice used for shared learning.
• There were effective arrangements in place for managing medical emergencies.
• Equipment, such as the air compressor, autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.
• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and caring practice team.
• The practice ensured staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.
• The provider had a clear vision for the practice and staff told us they were well supported by the management team.
• Governance arrangements and audits were effective in improving the quality and safety of the services.

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

• Review recruitment procedures to ensure accurate, complete and detailed records are maintained for all staff.
• Review the practice’s safeguarding trainingensuring it covers both children and adults and that all staff are trained to an appropriate level for their role and are aware of their responsibilities.
• Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.
• Review the practice’s sharps procedures giving due regard to the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.
• Review the practice's protocols for completion of dental records giving due regard to guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice regarding clinical examinations and record keeping.

People who use the service told us that reception staff at the practice were very helpful and made them feel at ease. Dentists were very professional, friendly and welcoming, they received thorough examinations and everything including their treatment and the cost of treatment was explained to them. They told us they were able to make appointments when needed.

They told us their privacy and confidentiality was respected and the practice was always comfortable and clean and tidy.

Three people told us that they had been using the practice over twenty years. They told us that they would not go anywhere else. One person told us they had moved over twenty miles away but still preferred to travel the long distance to use the practice.