We carried out this announced inspection on 15 August 2017 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.

We told the NHS England Cheshire and Merseyside area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. We did not receive any information of concern from them.

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

Widnes Dental Practice is in a residential suburb of Widnes. The practice provides dental care and treatment to adults and children on a privately funded basis.

There is level access to facilitate entrance to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and for pushchairs. Car parking is available near the practice.

The dental team includes two principal dentists and two dental nurses, one of whom is a trainee. The team is supported by a practice manager.

The practice has one treatment room.

The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have in place a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have a 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 Widnes Dental Practice is the practice manager.

We received feedback from 20 people during the inspection about the services provided. The feedback provided was positive about the practice.

During the inspection we spoke to one of the principal dentists, the dental nurses and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Wednesday 9.00am to 9.00pm

Thursday 9.00am to 6.00pm

Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures in place which reflected published guidance.
• The practice had systems in place to help them manage risk.
• The practice had safeguarding processes in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures in place.
• Staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• The practice had a procedure in place for dealing with complaints.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The appointment system took patients’ needs into account. Dedicated emergency appointments were available.
• The practice had a leadership structure. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice asked patients and staff for feedback about the services they provided.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Most of the recommended medical emergency medicines and equipment were available. The practice ordered the missing items immediately after inspection.