We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 18 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

Stokesley Dental Practice is situated in the centre of Stokesley, North Yorkshire. The practice offers NHS and private dental treatments including preventative advice and general dentistry.

The practice has four surgeries, two of which are on the first floor, two decontamination rooms (one on each floor), and a waiting room on each floor, a reception area and patient toilets. There are also staff facilities and offices.

There are four dentists, a dental hygienist, four dental nurses (two of which are trainees) a receptionist and a practice manager.

The practice is open:

Monday & Tuesday 9am – 5:30pm

Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 5pm

Friday 9am – 4pm.

One of the partners is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

Comments on the 10 completed CQC comment cards we received showed the patients were very positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. Comments included they were happy with the service and staff were very helpful, courteous and pleasant. Patients commented they could access emergency care easily and they were treated with dignity and respect in a clean and tidy environment.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had systems in place to assess and manage risks to patients and staff including infection prevention and control, health and safety and the management of medical emergencies.
• The practice was visibly clean and uncluttered.
• Staff had received safeguarding training, knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to report it. They had very good systems in place to work closely and share information with the local safeguarding team.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Infection control procedures were in accordance with the published guidelines.
• Oral health advice and treatment were provided in-line with the ‘Delivering Better Oral Health’ toolkit (DBOH).
• Treatment was well planned and provided in line with current best practice guidelines.
• Patients received clear explanations about their proposed treatment, 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 patients’ needs.
• The practice was well-led and staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The governance systems were effective and embedded.
• The practice sought feedback from staff and patients about the services they provided.
• There were clearly defined leadership roles within the practice and staff felt supported at all levels.

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

• Review the practice’s arrangements for receiving and responding to patient safety alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and through the Central Alerting System (CAS), as well as from other relevant bodies such as, Public Health England (PHE).
• Review the need for a lone working policy for all staff.
• Review the security of prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to monitor and track their use.
• Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment giving due regard to guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society.