We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 20 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

Hillary Street Dental Practice has three dentists who each work part time and six dental nurses, two of these dental nurses act in a practice manager capacity. One practice manager is responsible for administration and the other for clinical matters. All of the dental nurses were qualified and registered with the General Dental Council (GDC). One of these nurses went through the grand parenting scheme to be registered with the GDC. The practice’s opening hours are 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm on Mondays through to Thursdays with occasional late night opening until 9pm on Thursdays. On Fridays the practice is open from 9am to 1pm and 2pm until 5pm. The practice is occasionally open on Saturdays from 9am until 1pm if extra capacity is required; this enables waiting times for treatment to be kept to a minimum.

Hillary Street Dental Practice is a dental practice providing mainly NHS and some private treatment and caters for both adults and children. The practice owner is a Clinical Assistant in oral surgery at the Manor Hospital Walsall. Consequently complex oral surgery can be provided for patients attending the practice requiring this type of treatment. Another dentist at the practice is carrying out additional training in root canal treatment and therefore more complex root canal treatment can be provided. The practice is situated in a converted residential property. The practice had two dental treatment rooms; one on the ground floor and one on the first floor and a separate decontamination room for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments. There is also a reception and waiting area.

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.

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 34 completed cards and spoke to five patients. These provided a 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 20 October 2015 as part of our planned inspection of all dental practices. The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a lead inspector and a dental specialist adviser.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had empowered practice managers who supported robust clinical governance systems and processes within the practice.
• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment was readily available 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 a dedicated safeguarding lead with effective safeguarding processes in place for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• The practice had enough staff to deliver the service.
• Staff personnel files were well organised and complete.
• 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 practice managers and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.
• Information from 34 completed CQC comment cards gave us a completely positive picture of a friendly, caring and professional service.
• All complaints were dealt with in an open and transparent way by the practice manager responsible for administration.
• The practice had a rolling programme of clinical audit in place.

We conducted telephone interviews with five people who use the service and one person completed a form on line telling us about their experience of using this dentist. People told us that they were very happy with the care and treatment they received. They made some of the following comments:

“I was seeing another dentist and had difficulties and I moved to this dentist after it was recommended. My experience with this dentist is I would give them 100 stars. He understands my needs, he discusses the treatment and he asks me if I am okay, he is fantastic. He extracted my tooth and I didn’t even feel the pain.”

“He has been the best dentist I have been to. His treatment is excellent, he is very professional, and the quality is excellent.”

“The surgery is very clean and pleasant I have never caught an infection.”

The facilities and resources offered at this practice include two surgery rooms, one full time dentist who is the registered provider and two part time dentists, five dental nurses and a trainee dental nurse.

During the review we found that people are assessed to decide what dental and oral healthcare needs they may have. Treatments that people may need are discussed with them and are carried out in a way that reduces the risk of them being harmed.

We found that people receive treatment in an environment which is clean and well managed so as to reduce the risk of infections.