We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 31 January 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

Love the Dentist Mobberley is located close to the centre of Mobberley village and comprises a reception and waiting room, a treatment room, a decontamination room and patient toilet facilities all at ground floor level. Parking is available on nearby streets. The practice is accessible to patients with disabilities, limited mobility, and to wheelchair users.

The practice provides general dental treatment to patients on a privately funded basis. The opening times are Monday 10.00am to 7.30pm, alternate Wednesdays 1.00pm to 6.00pm, and Friday 9.30am to 3.00pm. The practice is staffed by a principal dentist, an associate dentist, a practice manager, and two dental nurses who also carry out reception duties.

The practice manager 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 13 people during the inspection about the services provided. Patients commented that they found the practice excellent, and that staff were welcoming, very caring and put a lot of effort into making patients feel comfortable. They said that the dentists listened to them carefully, were very accommodating with appointments, explained procedures and allowed patients time to decide. Patients commented that the practice was spotlessly clean and comfortable.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had procedures in place to record, analyse and learn from significant events and incidents.
• 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 maintained to a high standard..
• 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.
• Services were planned and delivered to meet the needs of patients. Routine and emergency appointments were readily available.
• The practice actively welcomed patient feedback and took their views into account.
• Staff were supervised, felt involved, and worked as a team.
• Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the practice, and for the delivery of high quality person centred care.
• Staff had received safeguarding training, and knew the processes to follow to raise concerns, but contact details for reporting concerns to needed updating.

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

• Review the practice’s safeguarding policy and procedures ensuring they include contact details for reporting concerns about adult safeguarding to.
• Review the protocol for maintaining accurate, complete and detailed records relating to the employment of staff. This includes ensuring recruitment checks are suitably obtained and recorded.
• Review the practice’s waste handling policy and procedure to ensure waste is segregated and disposed of in accordance with relevant regulations having due regard to guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01, specifically in relation to amalgam waste.
• Review the practice’s procedures to mitigate the various risks arising from undertaking of the regulated activities, specifically in relation to fire safety and the secure storage of chemicals.