We carried out this announced inspection on 12 June 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 CQC inspector who had remote access to 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

Orchard Dental Practice is in Barking in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham and provides predominantly NHS and some private treatment to patients of all ages.

The dental practice is located on the ground floor of a medical centre and there is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs and disabled access toilet facilities. Car parking spaces are available nearby, including up to four for patients with disabled badges located at the front of the practice.

The dental team includes one dentist, one dental nurse, a trainee practice manager, a practice manager and one receptionist. The practice has one treatment room.

The practice is owned by a partnership 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 Orchard Dental Practice was the one of the dentist partners.

On the day of inspection we collected 56 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a very positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one dental nurse, one receptionist, the trainee practice manager 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 9am and 5pm on Mondays to Fridays.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance and these were regularly audited to ensure their effectiveness.
• Staff were trained in basic life support and knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them 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 which were followed when employing new staff.
• 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.