We carried out this announced inspection on 26 October 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 Cheshire and Merseyside area team that we were inspecting the practice. We did not receive any information of concern from them.

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

Riverside Dental is close to the centre of Nantwich and provides dental care and treatment to children on an NHS basis and adults and children on a privately funded basis.

There is level access to facilitate entrance to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and for pushchairs. The practice has seven treatment rooms. Car parking is available near the practice.

The dental team includes five dentists, three dental hygienists, nine dental nurses, two of whom are trainees, and five receptionists. The team is supported by a practice manager.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have in place a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have a 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 manager at Riverside Dental is the practice manager.

We received feedback from 39 people during the inspection about the services provided. The feedback provided was positive about the practice.

During the inspection we spoke to three dentists, a dental hygienist, dental nurses, receptionists and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm

Alternate Tuesdays until 7.30pm, and alternate Thursdays from 8.00am.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures in place which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medical emergency medicines and equipment were available.
• The practice had systems in place to help them manage risk.
• The practice had safeguarding processes in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• Staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• The practice had a procedure in place for dealing with complaints.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The appointment system took patients’ needs into account. Dedicated emergency appointments were available.
• The practice had a leadership structure. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice asked patients and staff for feedback about the services they provided.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures in place but not all the pre-employment checks had been carried out and not all the required information was available for two recently appointed staff.

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

• Review the practice’s recruitment procedures to ensure recruitment checks are carried out and suitably recorded, and accurate, complete, detailed records relating to the employment of staff are maintained.
• Review the practice’s protocols and procedures to ensure all staff are up to date with their essential training and their continuing professional development.