Share a Smile

We carried out this announced inspection on 28 April 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 had access to remote support by a specialist dental advisor.

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

Share a Smile is located in Romford in the London Borough of Havering and provides NHS and private orthodontic treatment by mostly by referral to adult and child patients.

The practice is located on the ground floor of a refurbished residential property and there is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs and disabled access toilet facilities.

The dental team includes the principal dentist (and owner) one associate dentist, five dental nurses, two dental therapists, two treatment coordinators, three receptionists and a practice manager. The practice has three treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company 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 Romford was the principal dentist.

On the day of inspection we collected 23 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and we spoke with one patient. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, the practice manager, three dental nurses, one dental therapist and two receptionists. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Mondays to Thursdays between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Fridays between 8.30am and 3.30pm.

Emergency appointments are available every Friday between 1pm and 3.30pm

Private appointments are also available between 4.30pm and 7pm on Tuesdays and between 8.30am and 2pm one Saturday each month.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice 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.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.