We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 15 March 2017 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

Fairfield Dental Surgery is located within a converted residential dwelling in the Ainsdale area of Southport. The ground floor comprises of a treatment room, reception area with waiting room, patient toilet and decontamination room. There is a further treatment room, offices and staff facilities upstairs.

The ground floor of the practice is accessible to patients with disabilities, impaired mobility, and to wheelchair users.

There is a disabled accessible toilet available and parking in front of the practice and on nearby streets.

The practice provides general dental treatment to patients predominantly on an NHS basis but also to patients on a private basis. The opening times are:

Monday- Thursday 9am - 5:30pm (with extended hours opening on Monday and Tuesday until 7pm)

Friday 8.30am – 4pm

The practice is staffed by three dentists, nine dental nurses, two of whom are trainees and one of whom is the practice manager. The dental nurses also carry out reception duties.

The principal dentist 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.

We received feedback from 42 people during the inspection about the services provided. Patients were extremely positive about all aspects of the care and treatment. Patients commented that they found the practice excellent and that staff were professional, friendly, and caring. They said that they were always given helpful, honest explanations about dental treatment, and that the clinicians listened to them. Patients commented that the practice was clean and comfortable. Patients who were nervous or anxious about visiting the dentist commented they were made to feel at ease. Treatments were described by patients as excellent and appointments were always easy to obtain, including emergency appointments.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had procedures in place to record and analyse significant events and incidents and learning from them was shared with staff.
• Staff had received safeguarding training, and knew the processes to follow to raise concerns.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and skilled staff to meet the needs of patients.
• The premises were clean, secure and well maintained.
• Staff followed current infection control guidelines for decontaminating and sterilising instruments.
• Patients’ needs were assessed, and care and treatment were delivered, in accordance with current legislation, standards, and guidance.
• Patients received information about their care, proposed treatment, costs, benefits, and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Staff were supported to deliver effective care. There was a strong focus on, and good opportunities for training and learning.
• Patients were treated with kindness, dignity, and respect, and their confidentiality was maintained.
• The appointment system met the needs of patients, and emergency appointments were available.
• Services were planned and delivered to meet the needs of patients, and reasonable adjustments were made to enable patients to receive their care and treatment.
• The practice gathered the views of patients and took their views into account.
• Staff were supervised, felt involved, and worked as a team.
• Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the practice, and for the delivery of high quality person centred care.
• Staff had been trained to deal with medical emergencies, and emergency medicines and equipment were available and checked for working order and expiry dates.

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

• Review the security/accessibility of the decontamination room to ensure unauthorised access is restricted.
• Review the storage arrangements for some of the sterile instruments.
• Review the system of storage for historic paper records to ensure they are safe from environmental damage.