We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 2 February 2016 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

Duston dental practice is a general dental practice situated in the Duston area of Northampton. It is located in a converted Victorian townhouse and has five treatment rooms, an office and staff room, a small autoclave room, waiting room and reception room. In addition there is a decontamination room that was out of service at the time of our inspection.

The practice offers a full range of general dentistry, and a visiting dentist from a nearby practice undertakes placing dental implants when required. (these are metal posts that are placed surgically into the jaw bone and used to support a single tooth, bridge or denture).

The practice has two principal dentists and one of these 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.

Prior to the inspection we left comment cards and asked patients for feedback on the service. In addition we spoke to patients on the day of our visit. In total 26 people provided feedback about the service.

The feedback we received was entirely positive with patients commenting on the friendliness and professionalism of the staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients commented that the service was prompt and efficient, and staff were helpful and respectful.

• Essential standards in decontamination as outlined in the ‘Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 (HTM 01-05): Decontamination in primary care dental practices.’ published by the Department of Health were being met.

• The provider had emergency medicines in line with the British National Formulary (BNF) guidance for medical emergencies in dental practice.

• The practice had monthly team meetings to discuss the running of the practice, any complaints and learning opportunities.

• Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running for the practice, including the use of clinical audit to highlight areas that could be improved.

• Staff recruitment checks had been carried out in accordance with schedule three of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Disclosure and barring service checks had been carried out on all staff to ensure the practice employed fit and proper persons.

• Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of how to raise a safeguarding concern, and the situation in which that might be required.

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

• Review availability of equipment to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team.

• Consider the use of patient information leaflets to aid the process of consent and oral health promotion.

• Review the security of the clinical waste bin.

• Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance

We were unable to speak to people who use the service as people were waiting for emergency appointments and in pain. We did look at completed questionnaires which indicated people were very happy with the practice. We observed one person who explained to the dentist they were personally recommended by another family member.