We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 8 February 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

E. Lazanakis Limited is a company providing private dental and NHS treatment for both adults and children. The company provide dental care at three locations across Sussex. The practice inspected is called Broadfield Dental Centre. The practice is situated on a parade of shops. The practice is on an upper floor and the only way to access is via two flights of stairs. The practice has six treatment rooms. There are two separate decontamination facilities used for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments. The practice employs seven dentist, two hygienists, five dental nurses, three trainee dental nurse and five receptionists. The practice’s opening hours are Monday through to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm. The practice is closed for lunch from 13.00 to 14.00 daily.

There are arrangements in place to ensure patients receive urgent medical assistance when the practice is closed. This is provided by the local NHS hospital.

Dr Emmanuel Lazanakisis is the principal dentist and the nominated individual for the company. Ms Susan McVey is the registered manager for this practice. 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. The nominated individual must be employed as a director, manager or secretary of the organisation (i.e. they should be a senior person, with authority to speak on behalf of the organisation). They must also be in a position which carries responsibility for supervising the management of the carrying on of the dental practice (i.e. they must be in a position to speak, authoritatively, on behalf of the organisation, about the way that the service is provided. Ms Susan McVey was present and assisted with the inspection process.

We spoke with four patients on the day of our inspection. Common themes were patients overall were satisfied with the friendly and caring treatment they had received. We also noted that one patient described the caring approach the dentist and staff had when dealing with their relative.

Our key findings were:

• We found that the practice ethos was to provide patient centred dental care in a relaxed and friendly environment.

• Leadership was provided by the principal dentist and the registered manager.

• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment was readily available in accordance with current guidelines.

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.

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

• Infection control procedures were of a high standard and the practice followed published guidance.

• The registered manager acted as the safeguarding lead for adults and a senior nurse for children with effective processes for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.

• There was a process for the reporting and shared learning when untoward incidents occurred in the practice.

• Dentists provided dental care in accordance with current professional and National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

• The service was aware of the needs of the local population and took these into account in how the practice was run.

• Patients could access treatment and urgent and emergency care when required.

• Staff received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD) by the practice owner.

• Staff we spoke with felt very well supported by the practice owner and was committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

•Patients told us through discussion they were treated with kindness and respect by staff. The practice did always ensure there was sufficient time to explain fully the care and treatment they were providing in a way patients understood.

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

• Consider fitting a hearing loop for people with hearing difficulties.

• Consider reviewing the information held on the practice website and NHS choices regarding the accessibility of the practice.