We carried out this announced inspection on 09 November 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 Care Quality Commission (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

Dental Practice, locally known as IM Dental Care, is in West Hampstead, in the London Borough of Camden. The practice is well served by buses, overground and underground trains. The practice provides private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is level access to the reception area for people who use wheelchairs, and those with pushchairs. There is restricted parking available in the surrounding area. The practice has one treatment room.

The dental team includes two principal dentists, one of whom has a special interest in orthodontics, and another who is a specialist in special care dentistry. There are two qualified dental nurses and a trainee dental nurse, all of whom occasionally undertake receptionist duties.

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 Dental Surgery was one of the principal dentists.

On the day of inspection, we obtained feedback from 23 patients.

During the inspection we spoke with both of the principal dentists, the trainee dental nurse, and a qualified dental nurse. We checked practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 6pm, and on Saturdays by appointment.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was actively involved in schemed to improve oral health in the local community for young children and homeless people.
• The practice had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team. They demonstrated high levels of motivation and satisfaction.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• 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 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.