We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 5 January 2017 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

Caen Dental Practice is located in the small coastal town of Braunton, North Devon. The practice provides primary dental care services for people who require dental procedures and cosmetic dentistry services. The practice provides private patient care. There is one dental surgery. The practice is located on the first floor in a shopping complex. Approximately 1,400 patients are registered at the practice. The majority of patients are adults.

The staff structure of the practice consists of the provider, who is the principal dentist, and who works in the practice as a dentist three days a week, a part-time associate dentist and a part-time dental hygienist. There are two dental nurses who also carry out receptionist duties.

The practice is open at the following times: Monday and Wednesday 8.30am – 1pm. 1.30pm – 6pm. Tuesday and Thursday 9am – 1pm. 2pm – 7pm. Friday 9am – 1.30pm. First and second Saturdays per month 9am – 1.30pm. There is an answer phone message directing patients to emergency contact numbers when the practice is closed.

The provider and principal dentist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. 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.

Fourteen patients provided feedback directly to CQC about the service. All were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly, professional and caring attitude of the dental staff and the dental treatment they had received.

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 was a lead staff member for safeguarding patients. All staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• 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 they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from the practice team.
• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.
• Patients could access treatment and urgent and emergency care when required.
• Patients could book appointments up to 12 months in advance.
• Appointment phone reminders were available on request 48 hours prior to appointments.
• The provider had a clear vision for the practice and staff told us they were well supported by the management team.
• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment was readily available in accordance with current guidelines.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• Staff reported incidents and kept records of these which the practice used for shared learning.
• The service was aware of the needs of the local population and took these into account in how the practice was run.
• Staff received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continuing professional development by the management team.
• Staff we spoke with felt supported by the management team and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

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

• Review the practice recruitment policy and procedures to ensure references for new staff are consistently received prior to staff employment.
• Send CQC evidence that planned works to change processes in the decontamination room are carried out to the timescale proposed.