We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 14 October 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

Quarry House Dental Practice is situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The practice is based in Quarry House which houses offices for the Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The practice only offers appointments to staff working at Quarry House and their families and this incudes NHS dental treatments and private treatments. The services include preventative advice and treatment and routine restorative dental care.

The practice has one surgery, a waiting area and a reception area. There are accessible toilet facilities available. The practice is fully accessible for patients with limited mobility as lifts are available within Quarry House.

There are two dentists, one dental hygienist, two dental nurses, one receptionist and a practice manager.

The opening hours are Monday from 8-45am to 4-00pm, Tuesday from 8-45am to 4-45pm, Wednesday from 8-45am to 3-00pm, Thursday from 9-00am to 1-00pm (hygienist service only) and Friday from 8-45 to 5-00pm.

The practice owner is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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. The practice manager is currently applying to be the registered manager.

During the inspection we received feedback from four patients. The patients were positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. Comments included everything was explained well, they were made to feel at ease and they felt listened to.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was visibly clean and uncluttered.
• The practice had systems in place to assess and manage risks to patients and staff including health and safety and the management of medical emergencies.
• Staff were qualified and had received training appropriate to their roles.
• Patients were involved in making decisions about their treatment and were given clear explanations about their proposed treatment including costs, benefits and risks.
• Dental care records showed treatment was planned in line with current best practice guidelines.
• Oral health advice and treatment were provided in-line with the ‘Delivering Better Oral Health’ toolkit (DBOH).
• We observed patients were treated with kindness and respect by staff.
• The practice had a complaints system in place and there was an openness and transparency in how these were dealt with.
• Patients were able to make routine and emergency appointments when needed.
• The governance systems were effective.

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

• Review the storage of glucagon to ensure it is in line with the manufacturer’s guidance.
• Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.
• Review the practice’s protocols for recording in the patients’ dental care records or elsewhere the reason for taking the X-ray and quality of the X-ray giving due regard to the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) 2000.