We observed that the practices identified within the company recruitment procedures had been followed; with the exception of one person who had not had a criminal records risk assessment or check completed by the provider prior to them starting work at the practice. This shortfall has been discussed with the practice manager.
We received mixed feedback from the two patients we spoke with. One patient told us that they had no problems with the practice. They described their dentist as 'Great' and said they had been kept informed about their treatment. The second patient confirmed they had been happy with the service until recently. This person described their old dentist as 'Fantastic' but raised concerns about their current dentist.
Patients told us they generally found the staff friendly and would approach them with any concerns. Patient satisfaction had been monitored and was good.
We saw some systems in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. Staff showed that they had awareness of what to do, who to approach and the guidance available should safeguarding concerns be identified. During the inspection we also looked at requirements relating to workers as we found some shortfalls in recruitment and pre-employment checks at the practice.
We saw that there was sufficient staff available to accommodate patients' needs. Patient records and discussions with patients confirmed their needs had been assessed, risks identified and personalised plans of care developed for each patient. We saw evidence of joint working with dental specialists to ensure patients specialist dental healthcare needs had been met.