We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 24 March 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 relevantregulations.

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

The practice provides a range of private and some NHS dental services children for patients in and around the Barnoldswick area.

The dental practice is based on the ground and first floors of a converted building in the centre of Barnoldswick. There is a waiting room, separate reception, three treatment rooms, decontamination room, staff room/kitchen and further storage facilities.

The practice had three dentists supported by a practice manager, three dental nurses, two trainee dental nurses, hygienist and orthodontic therapists and reception staff.

The practice is open Monday and Wednesday 8:40 am to 5.00pm and Tuesday and Thursday 9:40 am to 6:30pm with Friday 9am to 1pm.

The practice owner (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.

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 six patients who all gave positive comments about the care and treatment they received at the practice.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had systems to assess and manage risks to patients, including infection prevention and control, health and safety and the management of medical emergencies.
• Premises were well maintained and a tour of the building confirmed that good cleaning and infection control systems were in place.
• There was appropriate equipment and access to emergency drugs to enable the practice to respond to medical emergencies. This included an automated external defibrillator. Staff had been trained to manage medical emergencies.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• The dental practice had effective clinical governance and risk management structures in place.
• There were systems to monitor and continually improve the quality of the service; including through a programme of clinical and non-clinical audits.
• The practice had a positive relationship with local primary schools holding educational sessions in the schools to promote good dental hygiene.

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

• Review the staff recruitment process to ensure all information is available prior to recruitment.