We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 8 March 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.

The City Denture Clinic & Dentistry Centre is a denture clinic and general dental practice in Chichester, West Sussex, offering private dental treatment, to adults and children.

The practice is situated in the centre of Chichester. The practice has two treatment rooms, a decontamination room for the cleaning, sterilising and packing of dental instruments, and a waiting and reception area. The main entrance to the practice is located on the ground floor. The practice is contained on one floor and there is full disabled access to all areas. There is a disabled toilet and a separate patient toilet close to the waiting area.

The practice is open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm.

The City Denture Clinic & Dentistry Centre has two Clinical Dental Technicians (one of whom is the registered manager), two dentists, one dental nurse, one hygienist and two receptionists. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission (CQC) comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 5 completed cards. All of the comments cards provided a positive view of the service the practice provides. Patients commented that staff were professional, friendly and caring. One patient commented that the practice was clean.

Our key findings were:

• There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the steriliser, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.
• The practice had limited systems in place to gain the comments and views of people who used the service.
• Patients were satisfied with the treatment they received and were complimentary about staff at the practice.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• We observed that staff showed a caring and attentive approach towards patients. All patients were recognised and greeted warmly on arrival at reception.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• Staff were proud of the practice and their team. Staff felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

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

• Review the process of collecting and analysing patient feedback and establish an effective system of taking patient’s comments and views into account.
• Review the process for the on-going appraisal and supervision of all staff and review at appropriate intervals the training, learning and development needs of individual staff members.
• Review the availability of equipment to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team, particularly with regards to the availability of portable suction.
• Review the availability of an interpreter service for patients who do not speak English as their first language.