We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 9 May 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.

Priory Dental Practice is a general dental practice in central Bedford offering NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.

The premises are located over two floors in converted residential premises and has parking available. The practice consists of three treatment rooms, a reception area and a waiting area. There is also a designated decontamination room.

The staff at the practice consists of two principal dentists, an associate dentist, two dental nurses, two trainee dental nurses and two receptionists. 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.

Our key findings were:

• There was an induction and training programme for staff to follow which ensured they were skilled and competent in delivering safe and effective care and support to patients.

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

• There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. We found the treatment rooms and equipment were visibly clean.

• There were systems in place to check equipment had been serviced regularly, including the dental air compressor, autoclaves, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.

• We found the dentists regularly assessed each patient’s gum health and took X-rays at appropriate intervals.

• The practice kept up to date with current guidelines when considering the care and treatment needs of patients.

• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were readily available.

• Patients received clear explanations about their proposed treatment, its costs, benefits and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.

• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.

• The appointment system met the needs of patients.

• There was an effective complaints system and the practice was open and transparent with patients if a mistake had been made.

• Staff demonstrated knowledge of the practice whistleblowing policy and were confident they would raise a concern about another staff member’s performance if it was necessary.

• At our visit we observed staff were caring, friendly and professional.

• We received feedback from 25 patients who reported they received an excellent standard of care from friendly and helpful staff in a clean and relaxing environment.

• There was an effective system in place to act on feedback received from patients and staff.

• There were systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality of service provided.

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

• Review the process for maintaining dental care records giving due regard to guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice regarding clinical examinations and record keeping.

On 16 January 2013, during our visit to Priory Dental Practice, we spoke with two people who were seeing dentists that day. They told us that they were satisfied with the service they received from the surgery and said, ‘‘everything is fine’’ and ‘‘I have no complaints’’. People told us that the dentists explained their treatment options and provided clear information for them to make their own decisions.

One person told us, ''I am happy with the service. I find it very easy to get an appointment and they provide me with lots of information.’’

The surgery had sufficient processes in place to ensure that treatment was delivered safely. All areas of the building were clean and tidy and there were robust infection control processes in place to ensure people were treated safely. An ample amount of dental health information was available to people in the general waiting area, to supplement information the dentists provided during consultations.

A robust complaints process was in place, although no complaints had been received since registration. We also saw that the provider looked at any comments or suggestions and acted upon these if it would improve people’s experience of the service.