We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 9 March 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 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

Littleton Road Dental Practice is a dental practice providing NHS and private treatment for both adults and children. The practice is based in a converted terraced property with on-street parking available. The practice is part of Smart Dental Care which has a number of practices in the North West of England and Northern Ireland. There are two dental treatment rooms located on the ground and the first floor, a decontamination room, reception area and staff room.

The practice employs one dentist, two dental nurses, one of whom mainly works on the reception, and a practice manager.

The practice’s opening hours are 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday.

The practice manager 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.

Our key findings were:

• The treatment rooms would benefit from refurbishing but the practice was visibly clean and free from clutter.
• An infection prevention and control policy was in place. We saw the sterilisation procedures followed recommended guidance.
• Practice meetings were used for shared learning.
• The practice had a safeguarding policy but not all staff were aware on how to escalate safeguarding issues for children and adults should the need arise.
• Staff received annual medical emergency training. Some minor adjustments were necessary to the resuscitation kit to comply with Resuscitation Council UK guidelines.
• Dental professionals provided treatment in accordance with current professional guidelines.
• Patient feedback was regularly sought and reflected upon.
• Patients could access urgent care when required.
• Dental professionals were maintaining their continued professional development (CPD) in accordance with their professional registration.
• There was a system to deal with complaints in an efficient and positive manner.

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

• Review availability of staff training and equipment to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team.
• Review the systems to assess, monitor and mitigate the various risks arising from undertaking of the regulated activities.
• Review the storage of medicines requiring refrigeration to ensure they are stored in line with the manufacturer’s guidance and the fridge temperature is monitored and recorded.
• Review the staffs awareness of the safeguarding reporting process.
• 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.