We carried out this announced inspection on 6 October 2017 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 Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. NHS England provided information which we took into account.

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

MyDentist – Longbridge Road - Barking is located in Barking, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The practice provides NHS and private dental treatments to patients of all ages.

The practice is located on the ground and first floors of a purpose adapted residential premises. The practice has six treatment rooms, two of which are located on the ground floor.

The dental team includes eleven dentists, one dental hygienist, seven qualified dental nurses and two trainee dental nurses, eight receptionists and a practice manager.

The practice is owned by a company 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 manager at MyDentist – Longbridge Road – Barking was one of the operations managers.

We received feedback from 36 patients via CQC comment cards and speaking with patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke two dentists, three dental nurses, four receptionists and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open between 8am and 6pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, between 8am and 8pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays and between 9am and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The practice is open at lunchtime for enquiries, appointment booking and new patient registrations.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice 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 assess and manage risk.
• The practice 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 appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership. 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 dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.

We found a clean well maintained, large practice situated in a converted house on a main High Street. The practice was on three floors and was extremely well equipped especially in the areas of cross infection control. We noted that the PCT had done various previous audits and we were shown a recent infection control audit that exhibited a 100% pass mark.

From the patient we spoke to and the large amount of feedback that we observed it was reasonable to assume that a vast majority of the people who use the service were happy with the service provided. They felt that they were given enough information about their treatment options as well as the fee scales and had no hesitation in asking any question in relation to their treatment or cost.

They found the staff to be friendly and accommodating, and were happy to report that they were treated with respect and dignity as well as maintaining privacy. Consultations took place within private surgeries where privacy and confidentiality were ensured.

Patients were able to make comments about their experience via feedback cards on display in the waiting room. They were also encouraged to make suggestions for the better running of the practice. They told us all the dentists as well as all the staff were extremely helpful in explaining the treatment as well as the cost.

We observed that patients completed a medical history at their first visit and prior to any consultation or treatment with the dentist.