We carried out this announced inspection on 29 June 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 Practice on the Green is in Feltham, in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London and provides private treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes one dentist and a dental nurse. The practice has one treatment room, a decontamination room and a patient waiting area.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection, we received feedback from 27 patients through CQC comment cards filled in by patients and speaking with patients.

During the inspection we spoke with the dentist and the dental nurse. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.00am to 1.00pm; Tuesday and Thursdays from 1.00pm to 5.00pm. The practice also opens on alternative Saturdays.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Both staff members 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 both staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• 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 appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• 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.

People told us that their dentist explained their treatment and costs to them prior to any work being done. They told us they were happy with the service they provided. One person told us "I have been coming here for 51 years and I am happy with the service and I am always informed of my treatment and the costs involved."

Medical information was reviewed before the start of each treatment to ensure it was up to date and accurate but also to ensure the person did not have any medical problems that would cause problems during treatment. Effective systems to manage the risk of infection were in place. One person told us "the practice is always clean and staff always wear protective clothing before starting treatment, they also give me these special type of glasses".

Complaint information was available for people to use if they wanted to raise any concerns. Both people we spoke with told us that if they had a complaint they would speak to the dentist.