We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 16 February 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.

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

East Mews is a general dental practice in Horsham, West Sussex, offering NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children. The practice is situated in the town centre of Horsham.

The practice has three treatment rooms and a reception/ waiting area. The main entrance to the practice is located to the side of the building on the ground floor. The practice is located on the first floor.

The practice is open Monday to Friday from 8.15am to 5.00pm and on one Saturday per month from 9.00am to 3.00pm.

East Mews has three dentists (one of whom is the co-owner and registered manager), four dental nurses (one of whom is a trainee), two hygienists and two receptionists. The team are supported by a practice manager.

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.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission (CQC) comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 48 completed cards. All of the comments cards provided a positive view of the service the practice provides. Patients commented that staff were helpful, caring and friendly.

Our key findings were:

• There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the steriliser, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.
• The practice had effective systems in place to gain the comments and views of people who used the service.
• Patients were satisfied with the treatment they received and were complimentary about staff at the practice.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• We observed that staff showed a caring and attentive approach towards patients. All patients were recognised and greeted warmly on arrival at reception.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• Staff told us they were proud of the practice and their team. Staff told us they felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

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

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

We spoke with five patients over the telephone following our visit. All of the people we spoke with were complimentary about the care that they received at East Mews Dental Practice. Patients told us that they were involved in decisions that were made about their care. They said that they understood the choices available to them because the dentist at the practice took time to explain treatments to them.

One patient said, "I am more than happy with the practice, I only wish I had found them years ago".

Another patient said, "It’s so relaxed, they are just so thoughtful and kind".

We found that the practice provided clear information for people to make informed choices about their care. We found that the practice had clear procedures to ensure that people's safety and welfare was protected.

We found that the practice took infection control seriously. We also found that staff had been trained to identify signs of abuse and understood the procedures to follow where they suspected abuse may have occurred.

We found that the practice had procedures in place to monitor and ensure that the quality of the service that people were receiving was of a good standard.