We carried out this announced inspection on 29 May 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

Wansbeck Dental Practice is a small, well-established practice that provides private treatment to approximately 900 patients. The dental team consists of one dentist, one nurse and a practice manager/receptionist.

The practice opens on Mondays to Wednesdays from 8.30 am to 5 pm; on Thursdays from 8.30 am to 7 pm, and on Fridays from 8.30 am to 2 pm.

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. The registered manager at the practice is the practice manager.

On the day of inspection, we collected 50 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with two other patients. We spoke with the dentist, the practice manager, and the dental nurse.

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

Our key findings were:

• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice’s infection control and cleaning procedures reflected published guidance.
• Patients’ needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered in line with current best practice guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and other published guidance.
• Patients received their care and treatment from well supported staff, who enjoyed their work.
• Members of the dental team were up-to-date with their continuing professional development and were supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The practice had effective leadership and a culture of continuous audit and improvement.

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

• Review the practice’s protocols for the use of dental dams for root canal treatment taking into account guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society.

• Review the use and auditing of antimicrobial prescribing.

• Review staff understanding of Gillick competency guidelines so that they are aware of their responsibilities in relation to this.