We carried out this announced inspection on 26 October 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.

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

Dentalspace is a dental practice in the London Borough of Newham and provides private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs.

The dental team includes two dentists, three trainee dental nurses and a receptionist. The practice has one treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection we collected 16 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists,and two trainee dental nurses. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday- 9:30am- 5:30pm

Tuesday- by appointment only

Wednesday- 11:00am- 7:00pm

Thursday- 8:00am- 4:00pm

Friday- 9:30am- 5:30pm

Saturday- 10:00am- 2:00pm

Sunday- Closed

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
• The practice 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 appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership. 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 dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. We looked at 10 patient records and found that where people had undergone a course of treatment the records contained signed consent forms.

People said they were happy with their care and were treated respectfully. People told us “I get good treatment. I recommended my mother to come here” and “It’s good. I wouldn’t be coming here if it wasn’t good”.

There were arrangements in place to deal with foreseeable emergencies.

The practice had a policy in place on safeguarding both children and adults from abuse. Staff understood the principles of safeguarding and could describe the different forms of abuse in adults and children and what they would do if they suspected abuse.

There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. Dental staff demonstrated the decontamination process, which reduced the risk of cross contamination. People were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment and they told us that the practice and staff looked clean when they visited.

Risks to the health, safety and welfare of people who used the service were effectively managed.

The practice had an effective policy and procedure for receiving and handling complaints. People were made aware of the complaints system.