We carried out this announced inspection on 3 October 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 of concern.

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

Eccleshill Dental Practice is in Bradford and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children. The practice is a foundation training practice. Dental foundation training is a post-qualification training period, mainly in general dental practice, which newly qualified dentists need to undertake in order to work in NHS practice.

The practice is accessible for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs by means of a portable ramp. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes four dentists (one of which is a foundation dentist), six dental nurses, one dental hygiene therapist, a treatment care co-ordinator / assistant manager and a practice manager. The practice has four 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 45 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, the dental hygiene therapist, two receptionists, the assistant manager and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Thursday from 8:00am to 6:00pm

Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm

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. Minor improvements were required to the medical emergency equipment.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk. Improvements could be made to review the risks associated with fire.
• 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 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 and should:

• Review the storage of medicines requiring refrigeration to ensure they are stored in line with the manufacturer’s guidance and the fridge temperature is monitored and recorded.
• Review the fire risk assessment and implement the recommendations giving due regard to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Review the availability of a documented sharps risk assessment giving due regard to the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 and a lone workers risk assessment.

We found that people were given appropriate information and were involved in making decisions about their treatment. People were protected from the risk of infection because appropriate guidance had been followed. People were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard and there was an effective complaints system available.

As we were unable to speak to people who used the service we looked at patient feedback to the practice which had been collected in April 2013. Comments people made included; “love my dentist” and “satisfied with everything, excellent service”.