We carried out this announced inspection on 12 June 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

Bupa – High Street Penzance is in Penzance and provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is suitable access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available in the town car parks. Disabled patients can be dropped off outside the practice.

The dental team includes seven dentists, one dental hygienist, eight dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse, a practice manager and reception staff. The practice has nine treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. At the time of the inspection the practice did not have a registered manager in post but we were told there were plans for a manager to apply to register with CQC.

On the day of inspection we collected nine CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with four dentists and the dental hygienist. We also spoke with nurses, reception staff and the management team at the practice (which included senior managers attending on behalf of Bupa). We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday 8am – 7pm. Tuesday 8am – 5pm. Wednesday and Thursday 8am – 7pm. Friday 8am – 5pm. Two Saturdays per month 9am – 1.30pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared 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 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 practice was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The practice had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

• Review the current staffing arrangements to ensure all dental care professionals are adequately supported by a trained member of the dental team when treating patients in a dental setting taking into account the guidance issued by the General Dental Council.

• Review the practice’s systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities.

People who used the service expressed their confidence in the practice. They told us they were able to be involved in making choices about the treatment they received and understood the options and costs of the different options that were available. One person told us ‘I came here after a bad experience with another practice and I am very happy with the treatment I have had here’. Another person told us they were particularly anxious about receiving dental treatment and the dentist they saw at Oasis was ‘excellent at putting me at ease and not making me feel silly for my nerves’.