We carried out this announced inspection on 26 February 2019 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.

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

Mydentist Garratt Lane Tooting is in the London Borough of Wandsworth and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces X for blue badge holders, are available near the practice for a fee. Local transport links are close by the practice.

The dental team includes four dentists, two dental nurses , one trainee dental nurse, one dental hygienist, two receptionists and a practice manager (who is also a qualified dental nurse and provides cover if required). The practice has two treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. The registered manager at Mydentist Garratt Lane Tooting is the practice manager. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered.

On the day of inspection, we collected 36 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one of the dental nurses, the trainee dental nurse, one of the receptionists and the practice manager. We also spoke with the area manager and compliance manager who were present during the inspection. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider 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.
• Staff were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

Staff told us that people who used the service completed a medical history form prior to a course of treatment. We looked at four electronic records during our inspection. We saw evidence that the dentist explained the risks and benefits of proposed treatment and gave oral health care advice. They also recorded whether patients had understood the treatment options.

The practice had recently been completely refurbished. It was clean, modern with brand new equipment throughout and a dedicated decontamination room. A dental nurse demonstrated the decontamination and sterilisation process to us. This was carried out using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Staff told us they liked working at the practice and felt well supported by the team they worked with. One person said "I enjoy working here", another person said "there is always someone available for support". The manager of the practice monitored staff training records to ensure that refresher training that was required was completed.

The provider took account of complaints and comments to improve the service. The complaints procedure was displayed in the waiting area and an audit trail of all complaints that had been received were kept by the provider.