Archived: Spring Hill Dental Practice

We found that policies were in place to protect children and vulnerable adults. Staff had received training so they could identify situations of potential harm and take appropriate action to protect people.

We looked at recent audits of the process for cleaning instruments used in dentistry, as those we saw at our previous inspection had shown a need for improvement. We found at this visit that processes had been followed consistently well in accordance with professional guidelines. Recent audits showed satisfactory achievement to a safe standard.

People told us they had been attending this practice for a long time, some more than 30 years, and they had been very satisfied with the service and with the treatment they had received throughout this time. One person said, 'Treatment needs are always fully explained. He says what he thinks should be done, and gives any options.'

One person said, 'The staff are very caring and lovely." Another person said, 'They always employ impeccable staff.'

People said the care provided was of a very high standard. One person said, 'The service has always been brilliant. When I was in pain, he (the dentist) came in on a bank holiday.' Another person told us how patient the dentist and staff had been with people who had severe disabilities, giving plenty of time.

We found that the service maintained a satisfactory level of cleanliness and staff were well prepared to deal with foreseeable emergencies. We looked at records relating to the running of the service and saw they were up to date and showed that the service was run safely.

We saw that staff training and guidance were in place for child protection. However, we found that vulnerable adults might not be protected as systems were not in place to identify potential harm or assess people's need for additional support.