We carried out this announced inspection on 5 December 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

Park Road Dental Care is in Coventry city centre and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including one for blue badge holders, are available in the dedicated practice car park. The practice is situated less than a two-minute walk from Coventry train station and is on a bus route.

The dental team includes five dentists, five dental nurses some of whom also cover reception duties, four apprentice dental nurses, one dental hygienist and a practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms.

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 Park Road Dental Care is the principal dentist. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered.

On the day of inspection, we collected 22 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

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

The practice is open:

Monday: from 9am to 5pm

Tuesday: from 8.30am to 7pm

Wednesday: from 9am to 7pm

Thursday: from 9am to 5pm

Friday: from 9am to 5pm

Our key findings were:

• Strong and effective leadership was provided by the principal dentist and empowered practice manager. Staff felt involved and supported and informed us this was a good place to work.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. Safeguarding contact details were displayed on a staff notice board. The safeguarding lead was trained to level three.
• The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• The provider renovated and moved to this premises in 2011 to expand and enhance the facilities for all patients including those with disabilities. The services were all on the ground floor and were fully wheelchair accessible.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information. There was signage in the waiting room advising of a consultation room that was available for patients that required enhanced privacy.
• Staff were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health. They routinely referred patients to their dental hygienist through a clear care pathway. A copy of the Delivering Better Oral Health toolkit was on available in the waiting room for patients to read.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs. The practice offered extended hours appointments opening until 7pm on Tuesday and Wednesday and opening early from 8.30am on Tuesday.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided. Details of the patient satisfaction survey results were displayed in the waiting room. The results were consistently positive from staff surveys, patient satisfaction surveys and friends and families test surveys.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

• 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.