We carried out this announced inspection on 21 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 and Healthwatch that 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

Church Stretton Dental Practice is in Church Stretton and provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages. The practice also provides orthodontic treatment under the NHS.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. The practice does not have a private car park but there are free public car parking spaces outside the practice.

The dental team includes three dentists, four dental nurses, two dental hygienists, and a receptionist. The practice has two 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 collected 29 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with four other patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, a dental nurse and the receptionist. These were the only staff working on the day. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm Monday to Friday. The practice also opens from 5.30pm to 7.15pm on alternate Wednesday evenings.

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 a staff recruitment policy which they reviewed and updated following the inspection.
• 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.

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

• Review the availability of information about products used at the practice having regard to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.

People told us they were satisfied with the treatment they had received. They told us they would recommend the practice to family and friends. They said they felt respected and that their privacy and dignity was upheld by staff that seemed competent in their role. One person said, “I’ve been attending for a few years; they are nice and friendly and make me feel at ease”.

People told us they received enough information from the practice to make an informed decision about their treatment. They confirmed dentists involved them in their treatment and advised them of their treatment options and costs. One person said, “Communication is important and this practice does it thoroughly”.

People expressed no concerns about the standard of cleanliness and hygiene. They confirmed that clinical staff always wore personal protective clothing. One person said, “The place is always spotlessly clean”. Staff told us they had received training in infection prevention and control to help minimise the risk of cross infection.

People said they were supported by a knowledgeable and well trained staff team who knew their treatment and support needs. They told us that staff dealt with them in an open and friendly way. People said that the staff were competent and always acted professionally.

People said they felt able to raise any issues they had with the staff and complain if necessary. One person said, “I am sure staff would put things right if I wasn’t happy”.