We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 17 March 2017 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

Oasis Dental Care Central – Waltham Cross is a mixed dental practice providing mainly NHS and some private treatment for both adults and children. The practice is situated in a converted commercial property and provides services over two floors; there is a reception and waiting area on the ground floor and a waiting area on the first floor. The practice had five dental treatment rooms and a separate decontamination room for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments.

The practice is open 8.00am to 7.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 5.30pm Friday, Saturday 8.30am to 1.00pm and Sunday 8.30am to 1.30pm. The practice has five dentists who work a variety of hours and are supported by seven dental nurses, two reception staff and a practice manager. There are also two part time dental hygienists.

The practice manager 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.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We received feedback from 11 patients. These provided a completely positive view of the services the practice provides. All of the patients commented that the quality of care was very good.

Our key findings were:

• We found that the practice ethos was to provide high quality general dental care in a relaxed and friendly environment.
• Effective leadership was provided by senior clinicians at the practice and an empowered practice manager.
• The practice manager and lead nurse were proud of the practice and their team. Staff felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.
• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment was readily available in accordance with current guidelines.
• The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• Infection control procedures were effective and the practice followed published guidance.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current professional guidelines
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• Staff reported incidents and kept records of these that the practice used for shared learning.
• The practice had enough staff to deliver the service.
• The practice placed an emphasis on the promotion of good oral health and provided regular oral health instruction to patients.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• The practice took into account any comments, concerns or complaints and used these to help them improve the practice.
• All complaints were dealt with in an open and transparent way by the practice manager if a mistake had been made.