We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 07 June 2016 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

New Square Dental Surgery provides private dental treatment to adults and has about 500 permanent patients on its list. In addition to general dentistry, it also provides orthodontics, periodontics, tooth whitening, and a nervous patient programme.

The practice has one principal dentist, two associate dentists, and two dental hygienists. A specialist periodontist visits once a fortnight and a specialist endodontist once a month.

The practice opens on a Monday from 8.30am to 7pm, and on Tuesdays to Thursdays from 8.30am to 5pm.It also opens one Saturday a month.

The practice’s premises consist of three treatment rooms, a decontamination room, a patient waiting area and a small reception office.

Our key findings were:

• We received consistently good feedback from patients about the quality of the practice’s staff and the effectiveness of their treatment.

• Staff had received safeguarding training, knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to report it.

• The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.

• Infection control and decontamination procedures were robust, ensuring patients’ safety.

• There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained.

• Patients could access routine treatment and urgent care when required.

• Staff had received training appropriate for their roles and were supported in their continued professional development

• Patients were treated in a way that they liked and information about them was treated confidentially.

• Patients received their care and treatment from well trained and supported staff, who enjoyed their work.

• The practice was well-led, staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team

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

• Review fire safety systems so that staff regularly practice evacuating the building in the event of a fire and so that adequate signage of fire escape routes is provided.
• Review the practice’s arrangements for receiving and responding to patient safety alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and through the Central Alerting System (CAS).
• Review the practice's protocols for completion of dental care records giving due regard to guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice regarding clinical examinations and record keeping.

• Review the practice protocols and adopt an individual risk based approach to patient recalls and the procedures for promoting the maintenance of good oral health giving.
• Review the practice’s protocols with regards to providing all patients with detailed treatment and cost plans.
• Review appraisal protocols to ensure that all clinicians working at the practice have their performance monitored and assessed.

People who were patients of the service told us that they had received sufficient amount of verbal and written information to make a decision about the treatment options that were available to them. People who were patients of the service told us that they were very satisfied with the standard and quality of care that they had received. One person summarised this by saying, "I have been coming here for a number of years and I am very pleased with the treatment and other family members are treated here as well." People who were patients of the service told us that they felt safe as staff were respectful and kind at all times and that the dentists were, "Precise and gentle when delivering treatment ".

There were effective infection control procedures in place to protect people and the premises were well maintained and kept in a hygienic condition. The provider may wish to note that more detailed training and a policy regarding adult safeguarding procedures needs to be implemented to ensure that staff have the knowledge they need to protect people.