We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 20 September 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

Southwold Dental Practice is a small well-established dental practice that provides NHS and some private treatment to adults and children. The staff team consist of four part-time dentists, two part-time hygienists, three dental nurses and a receptionist. The practice has two treatment rooms, a separate room for the decontamination of instruments, a reception and two waiting areas.

It is open from 9am to 7.30pmon Mondays, and from 9am to 5pm Tuesdays to Fridays. Saturday appointments are available by prior arrangement.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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.

Before the inspection we sent comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We received feedback from 16 patients who commented positively about the quality of the staff and their treatment.

Our key findings were:

• We received consistently good feedback from patients about the quality of the practice’s staff and the effectiveness of their treatment.

• Staff had received safeguarding training, knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to report it.

• The practice was visibly clean and well maintained. Infection control and decontamination procedures were good, ensuring patients’ safety.

• There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and most equipment was well maintained.

• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and competent staff. Members of the dental team were up-to-date with their continuing professional development and were supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration.

• Appointments were easy to book and emergency slots were available each day for patients requiring urgent treatment.

• Patients were treated in a way that they liked and were involved in decisions about their treatment.

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

• Review the frequency in which medical emergency equipment and drugs are checked to ensure they are still fit for use.

• Review fire safety systems so that staff regularly practice evacuating the building in the event of a fire.

• Review the practice’s sharps handling procedures to ensure it complies with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.

• Review the practice's protocols for completion of dental care records giving due regard to guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice regarding clinical examinations and record keeping.
• Review the practice’s protocols with regards to providing all patients with detailed treatment and cost plans.
• Review appraisal protocols to ensure that all clinicians working at the practice have their performance monitored and assessed.

• Review referral procedures to ensure that they can be tracked and that patients are offered a copy for their information
• Review audit procedures for infection control and dental care records to ensure they are undertaken at regular intervals to help identify any improvements needed. The practice should ensure all audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. The provider had in place a policy on consent and confidentiality. We spoke with two people on the day of our inspection. They told us that their treatment was discussed with them.

During our inspection we spoke with two people who used the service. They told us they were happy with the service they received. One person told us about the service, "Absolutely marvellous." Another person said, "Very good. No complaints at all."

We looked at the records for people who used the service. We found these detailed people's treatment plans, visit dates and treatments received.

We saw that the service had all the appropriate policies in place to manage infection control effectively. We found that the service was following good infection control practices.