We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 15 October 2015 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

The Orchard Green Dental Practice is located in the London Borough of Bromley. The premises are laid out over the ground floor of a converted residential building. There are two treatment rooms, a dedicated decontamination room, a waiting room with reception area, staff kitchen, and a toilet.

The practice provides private and NHS dental services and treats both adults and children. The practice offers a range of dental services including routine examinations and treatment, veneers, crowns and bridges, and oral hygiene.

The staff structure of the practice is comprised of a principal dentist (who is also the owner), two associate dentists, a hygienist, two dental nurses, a receptionist, who also works as the practice administrator, and a trainee dental nurse.

The practice opening hours are from Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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 inspection visit took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and dentist specialist advisor. Additional phone calls to members of staff were made on two subsequent days by the CQC inspector.

Forty-eight people provided feedback about the service. Patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the dental staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• There were effective systems in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection, although some improvements could be made regarding the storage of dental equipment and waste.

• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.

• Staff reported incidents and kept records of these which the practice used for shared learning.

• Equipment, such as the air compressor, autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.

• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and caring practice team.

• The practice ensured staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.

• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.

• The principal dentist had a clear vision for the practice and staff told us they were well supported by the management team.

• Governance arrangements and audits were effective in improving the quality and safety of the services.

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

• Review the practice’s protocol for the storage and disposal of sharp instruments.

• Review recruitment procedures to ensure accurate, complete and detailed records are maintained for all staff.

• Review the practice’s protocols for recording in the patients’ dental care records, or elsewhere, the reason for taking the X-ray and quality of the X-ray giving due regard to the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IRMER) 2000.

• Review the storage of dental care records to ensure they are stored securely.

People told us that they were very happy with the service they received.

People using the service were provided with information which was displayed in the waiting area. This included the cost of treatments for both NHS and private dental care.

People we spoke with told us that they found the waiting area and surgeries to be clean and tidy.