We carried out this announced inspection on 26 July 2018 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 second CQC inspector and 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

Terrace Dental Care is in Dawlish 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 are available nearby in the town. Disabled patients pull up outside the practice.

The dental team includes three dentists, one foundation dentist in their first year after graduating, four dental nurses, one practice manager (who is also a qualified dental nurse) and one receptionist. The practice manager also works when required at the reception desk. The practice has three treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a partnership 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 Terrace Dental Care was the practice manager.

On the day of inspection we collected 49 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and we also had two on-line feedback forms about the practice. This gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the practice team. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Mon to Fri 9am – 12:30pm. 2pm – 5pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice staff had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
• The practice staff had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice 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.
• The practice was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The practice had not received any complaints in the last 12 months.
• The practice staff had suitable information governance arrangements.

There was an area where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review arrangements for the provision of induction to locum/agency staff.

We conducted a short notice inspection on 3 December 2012. During our visit we spoke with the manager and members of the staff, observed how the practice worked and looked at policies and procedures, and records associated with how the registered manager ensured the quality of the service. We also had a lengthy discussion with the Control and Prevention of Infection nurse, who demonstrated the cross-infection protocols and training taking place in the practice. We observed people who use the service at reception and in the waiting room.

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.