We carried out this announced inspection on 29 November 2016 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.

We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information.

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

Parmar dental is in Southend and provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs.

The dental team includes five dentists, seven dental nurses, and one dental hygienist. The dental team are supported by a practice manager and three receptionists. The practice has seven treatment rooms, a lecture room, two patient waiting rooms and a reception area

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection we collected 45 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with four other patients. This information gave us a very positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, three dental nurses, two receptionists 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 9.15am and 6pm on Mondays, 8.15am to 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 8.15am and 8pm on Wednesdays and between 8.15am and 5pm on Fridays. The practice is also open between 9am and 1pm on Saturdays.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice 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.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• 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.

People we spoke with told us that they were involved in making decisions about their treatment and that they were given information the treatment choices available to them.

People told us that they were happy with the treatment and advice they received at Parmar Dental. They said that the dentists were ‘Very professional and caring and that they always spent enough time explaining treatments.’’ They told us that staff and dentists were helpful and knowledgeable. They told us that treatments and procedures were always explained in a way they understood.

People we spoke with told us that they had no complaints, concerns or worries about the dental practice. People said that if they had any concerns they would report these to the receptionist staff, practice manager or dentists.