We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 12 September 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

Brixworth Village Dental Practice (also known as Brixworth Dental Practice) is a dental surgery in the Northamptonshire village of Brixworth.

The practice provides general dental treatment to adults and children funded privately. They also offer dental implants (a dental implant is a metal post that is placed surgically into the jaw bone, it can be used to support a single tooth more implants can support multiple teeth) and orthodontic treatment (where malpositioned teeth are repositioned to give a better appearance and improved function).

The dental awards 2016 awarded the principal dentist with the title ‘Dentist of the year’, and other members of the team were finalists in their field in 2015 and 2016.

The practice is open from 8.30 am to 6 pm Monday and Tuesday, 8.30 am to 5 pm on Wednesday. 10.30 am to 7 pm on a Thursday, 8.30 am to 4 pm on a Friday and Saturday morning by appointment only.

The practice had three dental treatment rooms, a reception and waiting area, a patient toilet and a treatment co-ordinators room. There was a staff room and dedicated decontamination room for staff.

The principal dentist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

We received feedback from patients who attend the practice by way of comment cards which were left on the premises for the two weeks preceding the inspection. 50 patients gave feedback in this way and their comments were overwhelmingly positive.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was visibly clean.

• Patients commented that they received excellent care, staff were friendly and professional and appointments were flexible.

• Infection control standards were in line with national guidance.

• The practice kept medicines and equipment for use in a medical emergency these were in line with published guidance.

• There was appropriate equipment for staff to carry out the services on offer.

• Clinicians kept comprehensive patient care records which were accurate, detailed and contemporaneous.

• Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the service.

• Staff had approached a local school, nursery and children’s group and given oral health talks to the children to engage them in their oral health.

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

• Review staff awareness of Gillick competency and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities.

• Review the labelling of medicines that are dispensed giving due regard to schedule 26 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.

All of the patients that we spoke with told us they were happy with the treatment that had been provided their comments included “The treatment here is very good, another patient told us ”There are no problems here, we are well looked after”.

However we found that the recruitment practices were not robust and put patients at risk of receiving care from staff who could have lacked appropriate skills and experience.