Archived: High Street Dental Clinic

We carried out this announced inspection on 9 July 2019 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.

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

High Street Dental Clinic is in Glossop, Derbyshire and provides private treatment to adults and children.

The practice is not accessible for people who use wheelchairs or for those with reduced mobility, due to the treatment room being located on the first floor, accessed via a staircase. Car parking spaces, including spaces for blue badge holders, are available near the practice at pay and display car parks.

The dental team includes the principal dentist, one dental nurse, one dental hygienist, and one receptionist administrator. The practice has one treatment room.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They 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 collected 40 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one patient. All feedback we received was highly positive about the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, the dental nurse, the dental hygienist, and the receptionist administrator. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday 9.30am to 2pm; Tuesday 9.30am to 7pm; Wednesday 9.30am to 5pm; Thursday 9.30am to 7pm; Friday 9.30am to 5pm and on Saturday 9.30am to 2pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider 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.
• Staff provided preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.