We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 12 April 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 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

J M Dobbs - Wells Street is situated in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. It offers mainly NHS treatment to patients of all ages but also offers private dental treatments. The services include preventative advice and treatment and routine restorative dental care.

The practice has two surgeries, a decontamination room, a waiting area and a reception area. The reception area, waiting area and one surgery are on the ground floor. The other surgery is on the first floor.

There was one dentist, three dental nurses who also cover reception duties and a practice manager.

The opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9-30am to 5-30pm.

The practice owner is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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.

During the inspection we received feedback from 49 patients. The patients were positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. Comments included that the staff were friendly and welcoming. Patients also commented that the service was first class, the procedures were well explained and that the premises was always clean.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and hygienic.
• The practice had systems in place to assess and manage risks to patients and staff including infection control, fire and health and safety.
• Staff were qualified and had received training appropriate to their roles.
• Dental care records showed that treatment was planned in line with current best practice guidelines.
• Oral health advice and treatment were provided in-line with the ‘Delivering Better Oral Health’ toolkit (DBOH).
• We observed that patients were treated with kindness and respect by staff.
• Patients were involved in making decisions about their treatment and were given clear explanations about their proposed treatment including risks and benefits.
• Patients were able to make routine and emergency appointments when needed.
• The practice had a complaints system in place and there was an openness and transparency in how these were dealt with.

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

• Review the availability of equipment to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK).
• Review the practice’s procedure for the checking of the emergency oxygen cylinder.
• Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment giving due regard to guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society.
• Review the practice’s protocols for recording in the patients’ dental care records or elsewhere the reason for taking of an X-ray giving due regard to the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) 2000.
• Review the training, learning and development needs of individual staff members.
• Review its audit protocols to ensure that improvements can be demonstrated as part of the audit process.

We found that the J M Dobbs - Wells Street dental practice obtained informed patient consent prior to treatment. Patients said the dentist explained treatment options to them at the start of treatment. Clinical assessment of patients informed the planning of their dental care and treatment. Patients could obtain a copy of their treatment plan.

Patients spoke positively about their experience of the practice. One patient told us, “They made me feel really at ease. A treatment plan was discussed and they asked about my medical condition.” Another patient said, “It’s so relaxing. They would show me the treatment plan if I asked. I have been very satisfied.”

We found the practice was clean and arrangements had been made to reduce the risk of infection. Staff received appropriate training and support to carry out their roles and to support their professional development.

Arrangements were in place for auditing the quality of the service. Surveys of patients were used although we found not all patients we spoke with had completed these. The provider had made arrangements to monitor and improve practice. Procedures for people to make complaints were in place although we found that the practice received very few complaints.