We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 8 July 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

Monteiro Dental Clinic is a private dental practice located in the London Borough of Lambeth. The patient population is predominately Portuguese and Brazilian making up approximately 80-85% of patients. The practice opening hours are Monday to Fridays from 9.00am to 6.30pm and Saturdays from 8.30am to 5.30pm. The practice facilities include two surgeries, a decontamination room, and a separate reception area and patient waiting room. The building was not a purpose built dental surgery and was not disabled accessible. At the time of our inspection there were three dentists, three dental nurses, a practice manager and reception staff.

The inspection was unannounced so we did not receive any comment cards from patients. However we spoke with patients on the day of the inspection. The feedback we received was positive about the service. They told us staff were friendly and helpful and they were given relevant information about their care and treatment.

The owner of the practice 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.

Our key findings were:

• There were effective processes in place to ensure patients were safeguarded from the risks of abuse
• The practice had processes in place to reduce and minimise the risk of infection
• Patients’ needs were assessed and treatment was planned and delivered in line with best practice guidance
• Patients felt involved in making decisions about their treatment and received enough information to make informed decisions
• Clinical staff were up to date with their continuing professional development and opportunities were available for all staff to develop
• The practice had appropriate equipment and medication available to respond effectively to a medical emergency
• Appropriate governance arrangements were in place to facilitate the smooth running of the service however clinical audits were not being completed regularly

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

• Ensure audits of various aspects of the service, such as radiography and dental care records are undertaken at regular intervals to help improve the quality of service. The practice should also ensure all audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.

• Ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 as it relates to their role.
• Ensure clinical waste is managed in accordance with relevant regulations giving due regard to guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01 (HTM 07-01).