We carried out this announced inspection on 5 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.

We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not have any relevant information to share with us regarding this dental practice.

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

Oasis Dental Care – Hucknall is located on the outskirts of Nottingham. The practice provides both NHS (70%) and private (30%) dental treatments to patients of all ages.

The practice is located on two floors with seven treatment rooms, five of which are located on the ground floor. There is level access into the practice and the ground floor treatment rooms. There are pay and display car parks close to the practice or roadside car parking.

The dental team includes seven dentists; two dental hygiene therapists; eleven qualified dental nurses; two designated receptionists; two trainee dental nurses and a practice manager.

The practice is owned by an organisation 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. The registered manager at the practice was in the process of changing, with the practice manager taking over this role.

On the day of inspection we received feedback from 11 patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

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

The practice opening hours are: Monday to Thursday: 8 am to 8 pm; Friday: 8 am to 5:15 pm and Saturday: 8 am to 12 pm by appointment only

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which followed published guidance.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided, and received positive feedback. Some patients told us their appointments had been cancelled.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risks in the practice, particularly with regard to health and safety.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes. Staff had been trained and 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 measures to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The practice completed regular audits and used the information to make improvements.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had late opening hours on four evenings per week to make appointments available to patients outside the usual working day.
• The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.

We used a number of different methods to help us reach a judgement on this service. These included talking with patients using the service, members of the staff team, observation and looking at records.

We spoke to three patients, two dentists, three members of practice staff and the practice manager. We also looked at records. These included care plans, records of meetings and information about how the service operated. We looked at information from surveys undertaken by the provider to assess the quality of the service.

Patients we spoke to were involved in their care and treatment options, felt it was delivered in a safe way and that the practice was clean and hygienic.

One patient said, “I have been coming here for years and the service is good.” Another person said, “This is my second visit to this dentist. The staff have been lovely.”

We observed members of staff interacting with patients in a courteous, polite and efficient manner.

We saw that the practice had implemented an infection control policy and that staff were encouraged to develop their skills and undertake appropriate training to help deliver safe and effective care to patients.