We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 22 November 2016 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

Histon Dental Clinic is a well-established family run practice that provides privately funded dental treatment to adults and children. It serves about 3500 patients. The team consists of two dentists who own the practice, two dental nurses, and a receptionist. An implantologist visits to provide dental implants to patients.

The practice is situated in a converted residential property and has two dental treatment rooms and a separate decontamination room for sterilising dental instruments. There is a large patient waiting area, a reception area and staff room.

The practice is open from 7.40am to 4pm from Monday to Thursday; and from 7.40am to 2pm on a Friday.

One of the dentists 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 comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice.

Our key findings were:

• Information from 45 completed Care Quality Commission comment cards gave us a positive picture of a friendly, professional and high quality service.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The practice had systems to help ensure patient safety. These included safeguarding children and adults from abuse, maintaining the required standards of infection prevention and control, and responding to medical emergencies.

• Risk assessment was robust and action was taken to protect staff and patients.

• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and competent staff. Members of the dental team were up-to-date with their continuing professional development and supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current best practice guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and other published guidance.

• Staff felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

• The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted upon.

During our visit we received positive comments from patients stating they had been consulted about their course of treatment and that they had had been given clear information about the choices they could make. They told us they had always been treated with respect whenever they visited the surgery and that all staff had been polite to them. One patient said, "The dentist is fantastic I would not go anywhere else for treatment". Another patient said, "The dentist takes their time to explain everything to me and makes sure that I understand. I can't speak too highly of them". Another patient said, "I have been treated by the same dentist for a long time and that suits me".