We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 1 March 2017 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

Hob Hey Dental Centre is located in a residential suburb close to the centre of Culcheth. It comprises a reception and waiting room, a treatment room and patient toilet facilities on the ground floor, and two treatment rooms and a decontamination room on the first floor. Parking is available outside the practice in the practice’s car park. The practice is accessible to patients with disabilities, limited mobility, and to wheelchair users.

Much of the practice has been re-furbished and re-decorated and the provider has plans for completion of the remainder.

The practice provides general dental treatment to children and students on an NHS basis and to patients of all ages on a privately funded basis. The practice also provides a limited range of general dental treatment to patients in nursing and residential homes. The opening times are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 8.15am to 7.30pm and Tuesday 8.15am to 5.00pm. The practice is staffed by a principal dentist, two practice managers, two associate dentists, a dental therapist, two dental hygienists and five dental nurses.

The principal dentist 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.

We received feedback from 48 people during the inspection about the services provided. We also received feedback from 17 people via the CQC Share your Experience facility on the website. Patients were extremely positive about all aspects of care. Patients commented that they found the practice excellent and well organised, and that staff were not only professional, friendly, and caring but they went beyond their call of duty. They said the dentists listened carefully to them, put them at ease and always gave them good and helpful explanations about dental treatment. Patients commented that the practice was clean, comfortable and provided a relaxing environment.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had procedures in place to record, analyse and learn from significant events and incidents.
• Staff had received safeguarding training, and knew the processes to follow to raise concerns.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and skilled staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Staff had been trained to deal with medical emergencies, and emergency medicines and equipment were available.
• The premises and equipment were clean, secure and well maintained.
• Staff followed current infection control guidelines for decontaminating and sterilising instruments.
• Patients’ needs were assessed, and care and treatment were delivered, in accordance with current standards and guidance.
• Patients received information about their care, proposed treatment, costs, benefits, and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Staff were supported to deliver effective care, and opportunities for training and learning were available.
• Patients were treated with kindness, dignity, and respect, and their confidentiality was maintained.
• The appointment system met the needs of patients, and emergency appointments were available.
• Services were planned and delivered to meet the needs of patients.
• The practice gathered and took account of the views of patients.
• Staff were supervised, felt involved, and worked together as a team.
• Robust governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the practice, and for the delivery of high quality person centred care.

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

• Review the practice’s procedures for undertaking domiciliary visits in accordance with The British Society for Disability and Oral Health 2009 Guidelines for the delivery of a domiciliary oral healthcare service, specifically in relation to the availability of medicines and equipment to manage medical emergencies.