We carried out this announced inspection on 29 April 2019 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 Gallery Centre for Excellence is in Reading and provides NHS treatment to children and private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including those for blue badge holders, are available in a public car park near the practice.

The dental team includes five dentists, two dental nurses, two dental hygienists, four receptionists and a practice manager. The practice has five treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company 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.

At the time of the inspection the practice did not have a registered manager in post. We were shown their registered manager application form which was posted to the CQC on the day of our visit.

On the day of our inspection we collected 18 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and obtained the views of 20 other patients.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, one dental nurse, one dental hygienist, one receptionist and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

8.00am – 8.00pm Monday

8.00am – 8.00pm Tuesday

8.00am – 6.30pm Wednesday

8.00am – 8.00pm Thursday

8.00am – 3.00pm Friday

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance, but improvements were required.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• 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.
• The management of fire safety required improvement.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• Improvements were needed to the management of medicines.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• 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 practice did not complete radiography and antimicrobial audits.
• 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 dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The practice had suitable information governance arrangements.
• All of the shortfalls we identified have very quickly been addressed.