We carried out this announced inspection on 11 April 2019 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 is in the Chaddesden area of Derby and provides NHS dental treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice has three treatment rooms, one of which is on the ground floor.

The dental team includes three dentists, three dental nurses, including one trainee dental nurse and one receptionist.

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 managers at Park Road Dental are the principal dentists.

On the day of inspection, we collected 44 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

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

The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm. The practice closes between 1pm and 2pm for lunch.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained in most areas, although the ground floor treatment room was in need of refurbishment.
• 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.
• The provider had the staff recruitment information required by the Regulations.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients’ privacy and dignity could be improved in the ground floor treatment room.
• Staff took care to protect patients’ personal information.
• The security of NHS prescription pads could be improved.
• Staff were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The location and storage of the dental suction unit in the ground floor treatment room could be improved to minimise risks.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• 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 the suitability of the premises and ensure all areas are fit for the purpose for which they are being used. In particular the cabinets, work surfaces and flooring in the ground floor treatment room.
• Review the location and storage of the suction unit in the ground floor treatment room considering the guidance: Health Technical Memorandum – Dental compressed air and vacuum systems (HTM 2022).
• Review the security of NHS prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use.
• Review how patients’ privacy and dignity was protected in the ground floor treatment room.

• Review the practice’s protocols to ensure that, where appropriate, audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.