We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 6 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

Parbold Dental Practice is situated in a converted residential property. The practice has two dental treatment rooms, a waiting area, a reception area and a separate decontamination room for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments. Treatment rooms and patient toilets are on the ground and first floor of the premises. There is wheelchair access to the ground floor treatment room.

The Practice offers mainly private treatment (approximately 90%) to patients of all ages and NHS dental care services (mainly for children). The services provided include preventative advice and treatment and routine and restorative dental care.

The practice has two dentists, a visiting dental implantology specialist, a dental hygenist, three qualified dental nurses and a trainee dental nurse; in addition to a receptionist and a practice manager, who is also a qualified dental nurse. The practice is open Monday 9.00am until 5.00pm, Tuesday 8.00am until 5.00pm, Wednesday 8.00am until 6.00pm, Thursday 9.00am until 7.00pm and Friday 9.00am until 1.00pm.

One of the principal dentists is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person 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.

We viewed 32 CQC comment cards that had been left for patients to complete, prior to our visit, about the services provided. In addition we spoke with two patients on the day of our inspection. We reviewed patient feedback gathered by the practice through patient surveys. Feedback from patients was overwhelmingly positive about the care they received from the practice. They commented staff were caring and respectful and that they had confidence in the dental services provided. Patients told us they had no difficulties in arranging routine and emergency appointments and staff put them at ease and listened to their concerns.

Our key findings were:

• We found that the practice ethos was to provide patient centred dental care in a relaxed and friendly environment.
• Strong and effective leadership was provided by the principal dentists and an empowered practice manager.
• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment was readily available in accordance with current guidelines.
• Infection control procedures were robust and the practice followed published guidance.
• The practice had a safeguarding lead with effective processes in place for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• The practice had a system in place for reporting incidents which the practice used for shared learning.
• Dentists provided dental care in accordance with current professional and National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• Patients could access treatment and urgent and emergency care when required. There were clear instructions for patients regarding out of hours care.
• Staff recruitment files were organised and complete.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD) by the practice owners and practice manager.
• Staff we spoke with felt well supported by the practice owners and practice manager and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.
• Information from 32 completed Care Quality Commission (CQC) comment cards gave us a positive picture of a friendly, caring, professional and high quality service.