We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 1 December 2015 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.

Elta Smile Centre is a general dental practice in Hastings, East Sussex, offering NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.

The practice is situated in the centre of Hastings. The practice has three dental treatment rooms, a decontamination room for the cleaning, sterilising and packing of dental instruments, two waiting areas and a reception area. Two of the treatment rooms are located on the lower ground floor and one is located on the ground floor. The practice has full disabled access and there is a patient toilet on the ground floor.

The practice is open Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm. The practice does not offer evening or Saturday appointments at present.

Elta Smile Centre has two dentists, two dental nurses, one hygienist and one receptionist. The clinical team are supported by a practice manager.

Before the inspection we sent CQC comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 30 completed cards. All of the comments cards provided a positive view of the service the practice provides. Patients commented that staff were professional, kind and efficient. Patients wrote that they were treated with dignity and respect. Many patients commented that the practice was safe, clean and hygienic. We also spoke with two patients during our inspection who were highly satisfied with the treatment and support they had received at the practice.

Our key findings were:

• There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the steriliser, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.
• The practice had effective systems in place to gain the comments and views of people who used the service.
• Patients were highly satisfied with the treatment they received and were complimentary about staff at the practice.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• We observed that staff showed a caring and attentive approach towards patients. All patients were recognised and greeted warmly on arrival at reception.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• Staff were proud of the practice and their team. Staff felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

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

• Undertake a risk assessment with regards to staff transporting clinical waste bags through a public area to the clinical waste bins.
• Consider securing the clinical waste bins to the wall due to the bins being situated in a public area.
• Review the number of scaler tips that are available for use by the hygienist.
• Consider carrying out Gillick competence awareness training for relevant staff at the practice.
• Review the hygienist referral process, namely the documentation and use of referral forms.
• Order relevant patient information leaflets for use by the hygienist.