Island House Dental Care

We carried out this announced inspection on 17 October 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

Island House Dental Care is located in Woodbridge, Suffolk and provides private dental treatment to adults and children.

The practice is located on the ground and first floor of a purpose built accommodation, developed from a restored engine shed adjacent to the town railway station and close to the banks of the river Deben. There is one step at the front of the building, due to the lay out of the pay and display car park at the front of the practice there is limited room to use a ramp for access. There is however, level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs through an alternative entrance at the rear of the practice where three ground floor treatment rooms are available. Car parking spaces including spaces for blue badge holders are available in the pay and display car park which surrounds the practice.

The dental team includes six dentists, a lead dental nurse and ten dental nurses, three dental hygienists, and one receptionist. A visiting endodontist and a visiting sedationist attend the practice when required. The practice has five treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers 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 registered manager at Island House Dental Care is the senior partner.

On the day of inspection, we collected 47 CQC comment cards and three practice compliment sheets filled in by patients for our attention.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, three dental nurses and the receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday to Thursday from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.15pm. Friday from 9am to 3pm.

Our key findings were:

• Patients were positive about all aspects of the service the practice provided and spoke highly of the treatment they received, and of the staff who delivered it.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• Premises and equipment were clean and properly maintained and the practice followed national guidance for cleaning, sterilising and storing dental instruments.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• Patients’ care and treatment was provided in line with current guidelines.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their personal information.
• The practice took complaints and concerns seriously and responded to them appropriately to improve the quality of care.
• Staff felt supported and valued and told us they enjoyed their work.
• The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted upon.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team. Staff spoke openly about how much they enjoyed working at the practice.