We carried out this announced inspection on 30 April 2019 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

Friars Dental Street is a well-established practice that provides mostly private treatment to patients. The dental team includes five dentists, seven dental nurses, two receptionists and a practice manager. There are six treatment rooms. The practice opens on Mondays to Thursdays from 8 am to 5 pm and on Fridays from 8am to 3pm.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs.

The practice is owned by a company 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 the practice is the principal dentist.

On the day of inspection, we received feedback from 35 patients. We spoke with four dentists, the practice manager, two nurses and reception staff.

We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

Our key findings were:

• Information from completed Care Quality Commission comment cards gave us a positive picture of a caring and professional service.

• The practice was clean and well maintained.

• The practice had effective systems to help ensure patient safety. These included safeguarding children and adults from abuse, managing fire and legionella risk and responding to medical emergencies.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current best practice guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and other published guidance.

• Patients received their care and treatment from well supported staff, who enjoyed their work.

• Members of the dental team were up-to-date with their continuing professional development and were supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration.

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

• Review the practice’s system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.

• Review practice's recruitment procedures to ensure that appropriate background checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.

• Review the security of prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use.

• Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols to take into account guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and have regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance’

• Review the practice’s responsibilities to meet the needs of people with a disability, including those with hearing difficulties and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.