We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 23 October 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

Background

Hastings Implant and Aesthetics Ltd is a dental practice providing private treatment. The practice concentrates on providing dental implant treatment on a referral basis, however the practice does provide a small amount of routine dental treatment for patients on request or if required as part of implant treatment. The practice is situated in a converted commercial shop property. The practice had one dental treatment room and a separate decontamination room for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments and a reception and waiting area and toilet. The facilities were situated on the ground floor enabling disabled access.

Hastings Implant and Aesthetics Ltd has 1 dentist, the practice owner, who is supported by 2 dental nurses and a receptionist. The dental nurses were qualified and registered with the General Dental Council. The practice’s opening hours at the time of inspection were Fridays only 9:00am – 4:00pm. Following the inspection, the provider notified us that the practice is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The practice owner 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. Supporting the Registered Manager is one of the dental nurses who acts as a Director of Hastings Implant and Aesthetics Ltd.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 6 completed cards and spoke to patients. These provided a wholly positive view of the services the practice provides. All of the patients commented that the quality of care was very good.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 23 October 2015 as part of our planned inspection of all dental practices. The inspection was carried out by a lead inspector who was also a dental specialist adviser.

Our key findings were:

• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines were readily available for dealing with medical emergencies in accordance with current guidelines.
• The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• Infection control procedures were robust and the practice followed published guidance.
• The practice had policies and protocols in place relating to safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• The practice had enough staff to deliver the service.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• Staff we spoke to felt well supported by the Registered Manager and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.
• Information from 6 completed CQC comment cards gave us a completely positive picture of a friendly, caring and professional service.

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

• Consider obtaining an automated external defibrillator (AED) giving due regard to Resuscitation Council UK guidelines. An AED is a portable electronic device that analyses life threatening irregularities of the heart and is able to deliver an electrical shock to attempt to restore a normal heart rhythm.

• Consider different ways of encouraging patient feedback enabling improvements to be made to the delivery of services where necessary.