We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 16 June 2016to 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

Mydentist-Townsend House- Thetford is a mixed dental practice providing mostly NHS and some private treatment to children and adults. It has a standard NHS contract and offers general dentistry services to patients living primarily in the Thetford area. It is part of Whitecross Dental Care Limited who have a large number of dental practices across the UK.

The practice employs eight dentists (one of whom is a vocational trainer), 14 dental nurses and two dental hygienists. There is a full time practice manager 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.

The practice has eight dental treatment rooms, one decontamination room, two waiting rooms and a large staff room.

We spoke with five patients and also received 23 comments cards that had been completed by patients prior to our inspection. All but one respondent were happy with the quality of the staff and dental care they received.

Our key findings were:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.

• The practice had systems to help ensure patient safety. These included safeguarding children and adults from abuse, maintaining the required standards of infection prevention and control, and responding to medical emergencies.

• Premises and equipment were visibly clean, secure, properly maintained and kept in accordance with current legislation and guidance.

• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and competent staff. Members of the dental team were up-to-date with their continuing professional development and supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current best practice guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and other published guidance.

• Special ‘kids club days’ were held, where clinicians gave out stickers and balloons to children, along with information about good oral health

• The practice took into account any comments, concerns or complaints and used these to help them improve the service.

• Staff felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

• The practice had strong and visible clinical and managerial leadership and governance arrangements.

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

• Review timescales for repairing faulty equipment.

• Review the number of ultrasonic baths to ensure there is capacity to deal with instruments for eight surgeries.

• Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment giving due regard to guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society.

• Review staff awareness of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Act as it relates to their role.

We found that people were asked to provide appropriate consent to examination and treatment before it took place.

We saw that people were involved in the planning of their own treatment at the surgeries and that people were consulted about the treatment options available to them.

Staff members showed us that they knew how to recognise, prevent and report abuse.

We saw that there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection at the dental practice.

We found that staff had completed appropriate training and were supported to carry out their role through supervision and staff meetings.

We found that there were systems in place for people to make a complaint about the dental services provided. We saw that people’s views, opinions and concerns were taken seriously and that complaints were investigated appropriately.