We carried out this announced inspection on 17 May 2018 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

Pool and Gataure (Knighton Dental Practice) is located in Leicester, a city in the East Midlands and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children. At the time of our inspection, the practice was accepting new NHS patient registrations.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice does not have car parking facilities, although there is some limited space for patients who are blue badge holders at the front of the premises. Free car parking is available on the road within close distance to the practice.

The practice is a training practice for foundation dentists.

The dental team includes six dentists (including two foundation dentists), ten dental nurses (including three trainee nurses), one dental hygienist, one dental hygiene therapist and four receptionists. A practice manager is also employed. There are six treatment rooms; two are on the ground floor.

The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. The registered managers at Pool and Gataure Dental Practice are the two principal dentists.

The practice had plans to expand their premises by building an extension at the rear. We were told that this would be used to house a treatment co-ordinators room and building would also enable another surgery room with ground floor access.

On the day of inspection we collected 29 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with four dentists (including one of the foundation dentists), three dental nurses (including one of the trainee dental nurses), three receptionists and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures, patient feedback and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice staff 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 staff had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• 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 practice was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• 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 staff dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The practice staff had suitable information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review the practice’s protocols for ensuring that all clinical staff have adequate immunity for vaccine preventable infectious diseases.