We carried out this announced inspection on 14 June 2017 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.

We told the NHS England area team we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information.

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

Bolney Court Practice is in the London Borough of Lewisham and provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages.

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

The dental team includes five dentists, five dental nurses, two dental hygienists and a practice manager. The practice has five treatment 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 received feedback from 27 patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with four dentists, four dental nurses, one dental hygiene therapist and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday -Friday 9: am -5:30pm and Saturdays for hygienist appointments 9: am-12:30pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures in place.
• 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.

People we spoke with told us they were happy with the dental treatment provided by the practice. One person said they had been with the surgery for many years and never had any reason to complain. They described the staff and the care they received as “brilliant”. Another person said, “My whole family is registered here and I have never had a problem,” when asked about their experience. They told us they always found the surgery clean whenever they had visited.

We found that the people received treatment which was based on an assessment of their needs. Staff were supported in their professional development and clinical and other records were stored securely. We found the surgery to be clean at the time of our visit and staff followed recommended guidance and appropriate protocols to protect people against the risks of infection.