We carried out this announced inspection on 12 April 2017 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

Highclere Dental Practice is in Woking and provides private treatment to patients of all ages. 

The practice is located on first floor premises, accessed by an external staircase. Car parking spaces are available near the practice. 

The dental team includes one dentist, one dental nurse who is currently employed from an agency and two part time receptionists. The practice has one treatment room. 

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection we collected 32 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patient. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the dentist, the dental nurse and two receptionists. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday from 9am to 12.30pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 5.30pm and Friday from 9am to 12.30pm. 

Our key findings were: 

• Th

  e practice was clean and well maintained.

• The practice 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.

• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.

• 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.

• The appointment system met patients’ needs.

• The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.

• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.

• The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.

We spoke with three patients either before or after they had received treatment on the day of our visit. All of these patients were happy overall with the treatment they had received over the time they had been attending the practice. Where appropriate they had been given treatment options and the information they needed to be able to make their choice. They felt that their decisions and opinions were respected by the staff. One patient described the staff as, "Very professional".

We found that people were given appropriate information about their treatment. Information was collected and updated about patient's medical conditions to ensure patients remained safe when being treated. Equipment was available and staff trained to deal with medical and other foreseeable emergencies. There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. There was a commitment by all staff to remaining appropriately trained. Definitive evidence from an audit that patient records were compiled and maintained adequately was not available. Soft tissue examination results were not routinely recorded. Records were stored securely.