We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 22 August 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

Kingsthorpegrove dental surgery is a dental surgery situated in the Kingsthorpe area of Northampton. It provides mainly general dental treatment to adults and children funded by the national health service. Treatment can be funded privately and dental implants can be arranged with a visiting implantologist. Dental implants are a metal post that is surgically placed into the jaw bone and used to support a tooth or multiple teeth.

The practice has wheelchair access to both treatment rooms, although the toilet facilities are not suitable for a wheelchair user.

The practice staff consisted of a dentist, dental hygienist, dental nurse and receptionist. An implantologist (a dentist with training in placing implants) occasionally visited the practice with a dental nurse.

A new patient appointment can normally be secured within a week or two. The practice endeavours to see any registered patients that contact them in pain on the day they contact the practice. Outside working hours the answerphone directs patients to contact the NHS 111 service for advice or treatment.

The principal dentist 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.

26 patients provided feedback about the service by way of comment cards that were available at the premises for two weeks preceding our visit. The comments were overwhelmingly positive with patients commenting on the kindness and professionalism of the staff. Particular reference was made to how well nervous patients and children were put at ease by the practice team.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was visibly clean and free from clutter.

• Patients commented that staff were friendly and we witnessed staff greeting patients in a polite and professional manner.

• Infection control standards met those outlined in the Health and Technical Memorandum 01-05 published by the Department of Health.

• The practice carried medicines and equipment for use in a medical emergency in line with national guidance.

• Clinical discussions indicated that national guidance was being following in the care and treatment of patients.

• There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained.

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

• 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 current staffing arrangements to ensure all dental staff, including hygienists are suitably supported by a trained member of the dental team when treating patients in a dental setting.

• Review the current legionella risk assessment and implement the required actions including the monitoring and recording of water temperatures, giving due regard to the 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.

• Review the understanding of Gillick competency and how it would apply in the practice setting.

We did not speak to people during this inspection as this inspection related to improvements Kingsthorpe Grove Dental Surgery had made to its policies and procedures, and how these had been implemented. We examined all the relevant paperwork and observed the staff interaction with people who used the service. We did not identify any concerns.

People told us they liked Kingsthorpe Grove Dental Surgery and liked the way the staff treated them. They told us that the dentist fully described everything to them and helped to put the mind at ease if any treatment was required. We found concerns in relation to emergency medical equipment, infection control, complaints and record keeping.