We carried out this announced inspection on 16 August 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

Clavell-Bate and Nephew family dental practice is based in Whalley, Lancashire and provides both NHS and private treatment for adults and children.

The practice is presently undergoing renovation and development work to the ground floor of the practice. This will provide enhanced disabled facilities including a disabled toilet on the ground floor and an additional surgery with enhanced x-ray facilities.

There is limited parking outside the practice with a public car park and public transport nearby.

The dental team includes a practice manager, three dentists, three dental therapists, five dental nurses and one receptionist.

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 24 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a very positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the practice manager, one dentist, one dental therapist, two dental nurses and one receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday –Wednesday 9am-8pm, Thursday 9am-6pm and Friday 9am-3pm.

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 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 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.

People who used the service made positive comments about the care and treatment they received at Clavell-Bate & Nephew. Two of the people spoken with told us: “They are professional and caring, it’s a pleasure to have treatment from them” and “Very capable of dealing with our dentistry, friendly helpful and caring”.

Most people told us they were treated with respect when they visited the practice. However, we were told of three occasions where people felt they had been dealt with in a patronising manor.

People told us they were involved in making decisions about their care and treatment. They considered they received good treatment and had no difficulties in making appointments.

People spoken with also said they had access to written information about the services provided, and that they had an awareness of how to make a complaint.

People had no concerns about their safety and wellbeing when attending appointments. However we found some processes for keeping vulnerable people safe were in need of development.

People said the surgeries were kept clean and that protective equipment, such as gloves and visors, was always used.