We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 03 May 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

Welling Corner Dental Surgery is located in Welling Kent. The practice has two treatment rooms, waiting and reception area and a patient toilet; all the facilities are situated on the 1st floor.

The practice provides private dental treatment and some NHS dental treatment to children and adults. The practice offers a range of specialist dental treatments as well as routine examinations, treatments, veneers, crowns and bridges, implants, orthodontics and oral hygiene treatments. The practice is open Monday 10am - 7pm, Tuesday 9am - 8pm, Wednesday 9am - 6pm, Thursday 8am - 8pm and Friday 9am - 5pm. The practice closes daily between 1-2pm.

The staff structure consists of a principal dentist, one associate dentist, three dental nurses, one hygienists, one practice administrators and a practice manager.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as 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.

The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

We received 35 CQC comment cards completed by patients and spoke with five patients during our inspection visit. Patients we spoke with, and those who completed comment cards, were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• There were effective systems in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection.

• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.

• Equipment, such as the air compressor, autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.

• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and caring practice team.

• The practice had implemented procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.

• The principal dentist had a vision for the practice and maintaining care standards; staff told us they were well supported by the management team.

• Governance arrangements and audits were effective in improving the quality and safety of the services.

Four people who used the service told us the dentists provided them with relevant information about their proposed treatment, and explained the different options available to them. People told us the information provided was very thorough and the dentist took time to allow them to make decisions on their treatment. People said costs were made clear to them before agreed treatment took place.

People told us their privacy and confidentiality was protected by the staff and dentists, and they were always spoken to in a respectful manner.

People told us the staff were friendly, helpful and polite. Two people told us the dentist had always asked them for an update on their health at each visit and had included relevant information in their treatment plan.

We were told by staff that patients under the age of 18 years were required to have an adult attend with them in order to ensure they were comfortable and safe.

People told us they felt the practice treatment rooms were very clean and the dentists’ practices were hygienic. Two people we spoke with said that this was the cleanest and most helpful dentist they had been to. All of the people we spoke with said they were very happy with the service they received.

Staff were qualified and had appropriate training and supervision and were supported by the practice to update their training to do their job safely.

The practice had quality checking systems in place to ensure that quality and safety was maintained.