We carried out a comprehensive inspection of this practice on 18 June 2015. Breaches of legal requirements were found. After the inspection, the practice wrote to us to say what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to premises and equipment.

We undertook this focused inspection to check that they had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Mydentist - Houghton Road – Rotherham on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Mydentist - Houghton Road – Rotherham is situated in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. It offers mainly NHS treatment to patients of all ages but also offers private dental treatments. The services include preventative advice and treatment and routine restorative dental care.

The practice has three surgeries, a decontamination room, a waiting area and a reception area. The reception area, waiting area and one surgery are located on the ground floor. The other two surgeries are located on the first floor.

There are five dentists, five dental nurses, two receptionists and a practice manager.

The opening hours are Monday and Tuesday from 9-00am to 6-00pm, Wednesday from 9-00am to 5-00pm, Thursday from 8-30am to 5-00pm, Friday from 9-00am to 5-00pm and Saturday from 9-00am to 1-00pm. The practice is closed for lunch between 1-00pm and 2-00pm from Monday to Thursday.

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.

During the inspection we spoke with the practice manager and toured the premises.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was generally clean and hygienic.
• The practice had refurbished all three surgeries.

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

• Review the practice’s arrangements for changing or cleaning the keyboard covers.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Thurnscoe Dental Centre on the 18 June 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 not providing safe services in accordance with Regulation 15 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

Are services effective?

We found that this practice was providing effective services 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.

Thurnscoe Dental Centre provides dental services for NHS and a small number of private patients. The service is provided by six associate dentists who are supported by a practice manager, a practice support manager, seven dual role dental nurses/receptionists, one dental therapist and a trainee dental nurse. The centre is located within a converted building which offers disabled access to the ground floor waiting area and one of the three surgeries. The centre is located centrally within the village of Thurnscoe close to local amenities and bus services. Opening hours are Monday and Tuesday 9am to 6pm, Wednesday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

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.

On the day of inspection we spoke with three patients who used the service and reviewed 25 CQC comment cards that had been completed by patients prior to the inspection. The patients we spoke with were very positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. They told us they were involved in all aspects of their care and found the staff to be friendly, helpful, caring and they were always treated with dignity and respect.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had systems to assess and manage risks to patients, including infection prevention and control, health and safety, safeguarding, recruitment and the management of medical emergencies.
• The practice carried out oral health assessments and planned treatment in line with current best practice guidance, for example from the Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP). Staff received training appropriate to their roles. Information of care and treatment options and support was available to patients, for example information of the cost of treatment.
• Patients told us they were treated with kindness and respect by staff. Staff ensured there was sufficient time to explain fully the care and treatment they were providing in a way patients understood. Patients commented they felt involved in their treatment and that it was fully explained to them.
• Patients were able to make routine and emergency appointments when needed. The practice had a complaints system in place and there was an openness and transparency in how these were dealt with.
• There were clearly defined leadership roles within the practice and staff told us they felt well supported and comfortable to raise concerns or make suggestions.

We identified regulations that were not being met and the provider must:

• The practice did not have effective systems in place for general cleanliness of the treatment rooms and environment. We have told the provider to take action (see full details of this action in the Requirement Notices section at the end of this report). You can see full details of the regulations not being met at the end of this report.

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

• Ensure actions taken were recorded on the incident form.
• Ensure audit results were fully recorded.
• Ensure the safeguarding policies are localised to the practice such as contact details for both child protection and adult safeguarding teams.

We were not able to speak with patients during this inspection visit. At our last inspection conducted 28th May 2013 we talked with four patients during the inspection who spoke highly about the care, support and treatment they received from the dentists, dental nurses and other staff. Some patient comments captured included, “fantastic [staff and dentist]”, “staff are polite and friendly”, “I’d rate them 11 out of 10”, and “brilliant [the dentist].”

At our last inspection we set a compliance action because we found there were areas of non-compliance relating to infection prevention and control standards. At this inspection we conducted a tour of the premises and found it was clean and tidy. The provider had completed a refurbishment of the decontamination room and surgery room one to ensure compliance with national guidance. There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.

We found patients were fully involved in decisions relating to their treatment and care. We found patients privacy and dignity was maintained whilst attending the practice.

We talked with four patients during the inspection who spoke highly about the care, support and treatment they received from the dentists, dental nurses and other staff. Some patient comments captured included, “fantastic [staff and dentist]”, “staff are polite and friendly”, “I’d rate them 11 out of 10”, and “brilliant [the dentist]."

We conducted a tour of the premises and found it was generally clean and tidy. We found improvements were needed in relation to the decontamination room and some of the surgeries.

We found staff were adequately supported because they received regular training sessions and an annual appraisal.

We found there were effective systems to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that patients receive.