We carried out this announced inspection on 10 April 2017 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 provided information which we took into account.

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

Queens Road Dental Care is in Barnsley and provides NHS and occasional private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, nine dental nurses of which, three cover reception duties and one is a trainee dental nurse. There are also three dental hygiene therapists of which, one is also the practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms; two are located on the ground floor.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist. 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 42 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with two other patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, two dental nurses, two dental hygiene therapists, 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 to Thursday 9:00am - 5:30pm and Friday 9:00am - 4:30pm

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 told us that the dentist explained all the procedures and treatments to them and respected their decisions about their treatment and care. One person said, “The dentist is very good, they explain everything to me. I have no fear factor coming here.”

People who used the service told us they were satisfied and/or ‘happy’ with the care and treatment they received at the practice. They told us, "Its very good here, I’ve never had any problems. They fit me in straight away if I need an urgent appointment” and “the staff and dentists are really good, all my family come here, we are very satisfied with this practice.”

The provider had a satisfactory recruitment and selection procedure in place to ensure that staff were appropriately employed.

We found people received care and treatment in a clean environment with infection control measures in place to minimise the risk of infection. People we spoke with told us the practice was always clean and tidy. People told us the surgery was “very clean” and “spotless.”

The provider had an appropriate system in place for gathering, recording and evaluating information about the quality and safety of care the service provided. People who used the service were asked for their views about their care and treatment.