We carried out this announced inspection on 12 October 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.

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

Bromsgrove Family Dental Practice is located in a residential area in Bromsgrove and provides private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is level access via a portable ramp into the building. The practice is in a converted residential bungalow. The large waiting room is next to the reception area and leads to two patient toilets, a privacy room, two dental treatment rooms, a staff room / kitchen, a staff toilet and a stock room. Car parking spaces for all patients are available directly outside the practice in the dedicated patient’s car park.

The dental team includes three dentists, two qualified dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse, a receptionist and a reception manager who is a qualified dental nurse.

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 11 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and looked at patient satisfaction survey results. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with a dentist, a qualified dental nurse, a trainee dental nurse and the reception manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday: 9am – 6pm

Tuesday: 7.30am – 6pm

Wednesday: 9am – 8pm

Thursday: 7.30am – 5pm

Friday: 9am – 5pm

Alternate Saturdays: 9am – 2pm

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 mostly available with the exception of a child’s self-inflating bag with reservoir. This was ordered on the day of our inspection.
• The practice mostly had systems to help them manage risk although we found five dental materials that had passed their expiry date, these were immediately disposed of, replaced and procedures amended to ensure this could not happen again.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures, the recruitment policy was not available for us to view on the day of our visit however this was sent to us the following day.
• 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. Details of how patients could complain were not visible within the practice however this was immediately rectified on the day of our visit.

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

• Review its responsibilities to the needs of people with a disability, including those with hearing difficulties and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
• Review the protocols and procedures for use of X-ray equipment taking into account Guidance Notes for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-ray Equipment.