People were given information about their treatment and their views and comments were taken into account through surveys.

People told us that they were happy with their treatment. People had their individual needs assessed before commencing treatment and were given detailed information, including risks and costs.

The provider had arrangements in place to deal with foreseeable emergencies. The practice had the appropriate equipment in place to support people who became unwell. There were contingency plans in place for emergency situations.

There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice provided a clean treatment environment.

Staff working at the provider were suitably qualified and had the skills and experience to keep people safe and meet their health and welfare needs.

The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of service provision through feedback and audits. The provider effectively had procedures in place to deal with incidents, risks and complaints. People felt confident to discuss their concerns with staff if the situation were to arise.

We spoke with four people, one of whom was a parent. People described the care as "very good". Other people said the staff were "very professional and friendly". People told us they had no problems obtaining appointments. In an emergency one person said they were seen "on the same day".

People were made aware of the service complaints procedure; they said they would raise concerns with the provider if needed.

The clinic operated in a clean and well maintained environment.

On this occasion we were not able to speak to anyone attending the clinic for treatment.

We carried out this announced inspection on 18/07/2018 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.

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

The Ashcroft Clinic Denham provides private orthodontic treatment to patients of all ages.

The dental team includes two specialist orthodontists, two orthodontic therapists and a trainee dental nurse who work at the provider’s main business location in High Wycombe when they are not running clinics at the Ashcroft Clinic Denham.

The practice has two treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers 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 registered manager at Ashcroft Clinic is one of the partners.

On the day of inspection, we collected four CQC comment cards filled in by patients. The practice was closed which meant we were unable to speak to patients.

During the inspection we spoke with a trainee practice nurse and one of the practice managers.

We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open once a month on a Tuesday from 2pm to 7pm, a Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 8.30 to 1pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies.
• 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.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The practice was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• 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 had suitable information governance arrangements.