We carried out this announced inspection on 9 October 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

Abbotsbury Dental Care is in Newton Abbot and provides private treatment to adults and children.

The business has been running for four months, having taken over from a previous dental practice at the address. Some assistance at the practice can be given for people with limited mobility, however, the practice is not fully wheelchair accessible. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes three dentists, three dental nurse/receptionists, one dental nurse, one receptionist, two dental hygienists and one practice manager (who is also a dental nurse). The practice has three 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. The registered manager at Abbotsbury Dental Care was the principal dentist.

On the day of inspection we collected 48 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, a 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 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 5.30pm.

Tuesday 8.30am – 1pm and 2pm – 5.30pm.

Wednesday 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 5.30pm.

Thursday 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 6pm.

Friday 8.30am – 1pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice staff had suitable safeguarding processes and 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.
• 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 had not received any complaints.
• The practice staff had suitable information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review the current staffing arrangements to ensure all dental care professionals are adequately supported by a trained member of the dental team when treating patients in a dental setting considering the guidance issued by the General Dental Council.

• Review the practice's responsibilities to consider the needs of patients with disabilities and to comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

• Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols considering the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices, and having regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.’

• Review the practice’s protocols for clinical audit to ensure audits of patient clinical records and anti-microbial prescribing are undertaken at regular intervals to improve the quality of the service. Where appropriate, audits should have documented learning points and the resulting improvements demonstrated.