We carried out this announced inspection on 25 March 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

Hadfield Dental Care is north of Glossop in north west Derbyshire and provides NHS dental treatment and a small amount of private dental treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice has four treatment rooms, two on the ground floor.

The dental team includes six dentists, one dental hygiene therapist, seven dental nurses, three receptionists, two decontamination assistants and one practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms, two of which are on the ground floor.

The practice is owned by a limited 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 Hadfield Dental Care is the principal dentist.

On the day of inspection, we collected 41 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with four dentists, five dental nurses, two receptionists 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 9am to 6pm and Friday from 9am to 5pm. The practice is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had most of the staff recruitment information required by the Regulations.
• 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.
• Staff were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• Not all staff had received an annual appraisal of their performance.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review the training, learning and development needs of individual staff members at appropriate intervals and ensure an effective process is established for the on-going assessment, supervision and appraisal of all staff.

Hadfield Dental Care had six dentists working at various times from one location in the centre of Hadfield. We found the practice to be well organised and to have good access for people who might have restricted mobility. We found the staff were professional, with a friendly and approachable manner.

We spoke with two National Health Service patients at Hadfield Dental Care. Both patients said that they were very happy with their dental treatment, and they had been attending the dental practice for several years.

One patient told us: “I feel very strongly that I can give my opinion to the dentist, who often asks: is that OK with you?” They also said: “It’s a friendly practice, and I’m quite happy, I wouldn’t change a thing.” The patient said of the staff: “They seem to know what they are doing, and I have confidence in all of the staff.”

The second patient described the staff as: “Very friendly and professional.” They told us that they had no concerns about the care and treatment that they received, and that: “I’m very happy here, as much as you can be coming to a dentist.”

We asked about confidentiality and both patients said they had no concerns. Neither thought their own confidentiality had been breached. In addition neither patient could think of any examples where they had seen other patients’ confidentiality not being respected.