The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

The Sutton Dental Practice Limited

23a Sutton Road, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 1RU (01323) 891369

Provided and run by:
The Sutton Dental Practice Limited

All Inspections

18 April 2017

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced inspection on 18 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 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

The Sutton Dental Practice is located in Seaford and provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including spaces for patients with disabled badges, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, four dental nurses, two dental hygienists and two receptionists. The practice has three treatment rooms.

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 23 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

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

The practice is open:

Monday to Friday 8.45am until 5.00pm

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 patients for feedback about the services they provided.
  • The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.

During a check to make sure that the improvements required had been made

During our inspection carried out in April 2013 some of the staff had not been subject to a criminal records check prior to starting work at The Sutton Dental Practice.

Regulation 21(a) (i) states that a registered person must operate effective recruitment procedures in order that no person is employed for the purposes of carrying on a regulated activity unless that person is of good character.

The registered manager has now completed all of the necessary checks on all of the staff at the practice.

8 April 2013

During a routine inspection

During our inspection we spoke with three patients. We spoke with five staff; these were the two dentists, two dental nurses and one of the receptionists.

We also took information from other sources to help us understand the views of people who used the service, which included a patient satisfaction survey and staff meeting minutes.

The patients we spoke with told us they thought they received good dental treatment from the dentists. One patient told us 'The care I've had is excellent. I am made fully aware of the treatments available. Another patient told us 'All the staff are approachable, courteous and kind'.

The practice was following appropriate guidance in relation to infection control and the staff were well trained and supported. A member of staff we spoke with told us 'Our infection control here is fantastic. My children and partner come here so I know how important cleanliness must be'.

There were effective recruitment and selection procedures in place however some staff had not been subject to the necessary employment checks prior to starting work.

The practice had systems in place to assess and monitor the service and effectively deal with complaints when necessary.