We carried out this announced inspection on 29 August 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.

We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information of concern.

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

Garden Street Dental Practice is in Barnsley and provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is portable ramp access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Handrails are also available to aid patients. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes a principal dentist, three dental nurses and a receptionist. The practice has two 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 34 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

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

The practice is open:

Monday – Wednesday 9am – 5pm

Thursday 9am – 4pm

Friday 9am – 12:30pm

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and suitably 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 process for checking medicines and emergency equipment could be improved.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk. Minor improvements could be made in relation to checking fire prevention systems.
• 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.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review the frequency of checking emergency medicines and equipment to bring the process in line with current guidelines.
• Review the security of prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use.
• Review the practice’s processes for conducting X-ray audits taking into account national guidance.

We spoke privately with three people who were attending the practice for check ups or treatment. All three people told us that they were "very happy" with all aspects of the service. They told us that staff were "always polite and respectful" and “very friendly.” One person that we spoke with said that the dentist "was a lovely man." Another person told us that the dentist was "wonderful and a good dentist.”

Other comments from people included “I’ve been a patient here for over 40 years; it is like a small family when you come here. The staff are always polite and friendly. Treatments I need are always explained and discussed with me.”

Everyone commented on the cleanliness of the practice. They said they regularly saw staff making sure that the surgery was clean, tidy and hygienic. We found people received care and treatment in a clean environment with infection control measures in place to minimise the risk of infection.

The provider had a satisfactory recruitment and selection procedure in place to ensure that staff were appropriately employed.

The provider had an appropriate system in place for gathering, recording and evaluating information about the quality and safety of care the service provides. People who used the service and their representatives were asked for their views about their care and treatment.