We carried out this announced inspection on 24 August 2017 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.

We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information for us to take into account.

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

Whetstone Dental Surgery Limited is located in Whetstone, a village in the Blaby district of Leicestershire. It provides mainly NHS treatment to patients of all ages, with a small number of private patients registered also.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. A limited number of car parking spaces, are available at the front of the practice building.

The dental team includes one dentist, three dental nurses (including the practice manager and one of the receptionists who are qualified dental nurses), an apprentice dental nurse and a receptionist.

The practice has one treatment room on the ground floor.

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 Whetstone Dental Surgery Ltd is the practice manager.

On the day of inspection we collected 18 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice. We did not receive any negative feedback about the service.

During the inspection we spoke with the dentist, a dental nurse, 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 Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Our key findings were:

• Effective leadership from the provider and practice manager was evident.
• Staff had been trained to deal with emergencies and appropriate medicines and lifesaving equipment was readily available in accordance with current guidelines.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected current published guidance.
• The practice had effective processes in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• The practice had adopted a process for the reporting of untoward incidents and shared learning when they occurred in the practice.
• Clinical staff provided dental care in accordance with current professional and National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• The practice was aware of the needs of the local population and took these into account when delivering the service.
• Patients had access to treatment and emergency care when required.
• Staff received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD) by the practice.
• The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• Staff we spoke with felt supported by the provider and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.
• Governance arrangements were embedded within the practice.

The people who used the service told us they were satisfied with the quality of service they received. People said they were asked about their medical history and about any dental problems.

People told us treatment options were explained and they made the decision as to the treatment that best suited them. People were able to get appointments quickly and at the time that suited them.

People told us information leaflets were displayed in the waiting area, which included the complaints procedure and information about the various treatments available.

One person said,” They provide an excellent service, staff are really nice, my children come as well, I’ve been really happy here”.

Another person commented, “It’s an excellent service, I have no complaints and I am fully satisfied”.