We carried out this announced inspection on 11 July 2018 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 CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

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

Oakmount Dental Practice is in Didsbury and provides private dental treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Three car parking spaces are available in front of the premises with additional on street parking near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists and an oral surgeon who attends as required, two dental nurses who also cover reception duties and two dental hygienists. The practice has two treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They 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 collected 25 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patient.

During the inspection we spoke with both dentists and both dental nurses. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 5:30pm

Tuesday 9am to 7pm

Friday 9am – 5pm

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice staff had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Improvements were needed to the life-saving equipment.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
• 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 practice was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• Processes were in place to deal with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The practice staff had suitable information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review staff training to ensure that all the staff have received training, to an appropriate level, in the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.

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

• Review the availability of an interpreter service for patients who do not speak English as their first language.

• Review the practice's waste handling protocols to ensure waste is segregated and disposed of in compliance with the relevant regulations, and taking into account the guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01.

• Review the practice’s protocols to ensure audits of radiography and infection prevention and control are undertaken at regular intervals to improve the quality of the service.