We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 14 January 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

The Dental Health Practice Limited is situated in the centre of Malton, North Yorkshire and is situated over two floors. The downstairs surgeries are accessible to wheelchairs. It has four Dentists, two dental hygienist and therapists, a practice manager and six dental nurses and two reception staff. The surgery is within walking distance of a large car park.

The practice offers a mix of NHS and private dental treatments including preventative advice, routine restorative dental care, Orthodontic treatments and Intravenous sedation. The practice also accepts referrals from other practices.

Opening times:

Monday-Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Saturday by appointment only

The practice owner 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.

On the day of inspection we received 50 CQC comment cards providing feedback and spoke to seven patients. The patients who provided feedback were very positive about the care and attention to treatment they received at the practice. They told us they were involved in all aspects of their care and found the staff to be courteous, thorough, polite, friendly and professional they were treated with dignity and respect in a clean and tidy environment.

Our key findings were:

• Staff had received safeguarding training, knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to report it.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Staff had been trained to manage medical emergencies.
• Infection control procedures were in accordance with the published guidelines.
• Patient care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with evidence based guidelines, best practice and current regulations.
• Patients received clear explanations about their proposed treatment, costs, benefits and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• There was a complaints system in place. Staff recorded complaints and cascaded learning to staff.
• The governance systems were effective.
• The practice sought feedback from staff and patients about the services they provided.

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

• Review staff immunisation status as part of the recruitment process and implement risk assessments for staff who are non-responders to the Hepititis B vaccine.

On the day of our inspection there were 3 dentists, several dental nurses, reception staff and the practice manager working in the surgery. The practice manager explained to us that she managed the service on a daily basis. We talked to two people who used the service, observed an appointment, talked to a dentist and three other members of staff, as well as reviewing records and other documentation.

The two people that used the service we spoke with said that the dentists and the hygienist they had received treatment from were professional and friendly. One person told us “My dentist is excellent”. Another told us “He is the best dentist I have had for years”.

People told us they found the surgery to be clean and hygienic and that staff had high standards of cleanliness and infection control. We saw evidence when we looked around the surgery that the premises were kept clean. We also saw evidence that there were effective infection control systems in place and practices followed.

People told us they gave their consent to treatment and that staff checked peoples' medical histories and medication on a regular basis. One person told us “You are always allowed to make your own choices about what treatment to have, how and when”.

We saw evidence that dentists and dental nurses had been trained to the level their positions required and in safeguarding children and adults from harm.