We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Priderm LLP to ask the service the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this service was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this service was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this service was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this service was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found that this service was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the service, Priderm LLP (Blackburn Road Medical Centre), was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

PriDerm LLP Community Dermatology Service (Blackburn Road Medical Centre) provides a medical diagnostic and treatment service for the provision of community based dermatology. The service operates from three sites: Blackburn Road Medical Centre, Birstall, WF17 9PL; Cleckheaton Group Practice, Church Street, Cleckheaton, BD19 3RQ and Calder View Surgery, Wellington Road, Dewsbury, WF13 1HN. We visited the Blackburn Road and Cleckheaton Group Practice sites during our inspection. The Wellington Road site operates a service one day a month only. Services offered include treatments for eczema, psoriasis, alopecia (hair loss) and acne. Patients are referred into the service by their own GP to receive treatment. Care is delivered by two male GP partners with special interest (GPwSI) in dermatology who act as directors of the service. They are supported by three additional GPwSI, two male and one female. The clinical team also includes one female specialist nurse. Additional expertise is provided by two consultant dermatologists, one male and one female, who are able to provide advice and support for more complex dermatological conditions. Each consultant delivers an evening clinic once a month in conjunction with the GPs. Non-clinical support is provided by a service manager and a small team of administrative and secretarial staff. The service is open between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday, with appointments available up to 7.30pm on some evenings, with Saturday appointments available when required. Patients who have been referred into the service by their own GP are able to opt for a venue and time to suit them via the ‘choose and book’ service.

There are no restrictions in relation to the age of patients treated by the service.

This service is registered with the CQC under the Health and Social Care Act to provide the following regulated activities:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
• Surgical procedures

One of the directors is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

As part of our inspection we asked for Care Quality Commission comment cards to be completed by patients prior to our inspection. Twenty-two comment cards were completed, all of which were positive about the service they received. Doctors were described as thorough and listening well. The service was described as excellent, other staff were described as polite and professional. During the inspection we spoke with one patient in person who described their experience of the service as good, and that they had received treatment which had improved their condition.

Our key findings were:

• The service provided community based access to specialist dermatology expertise and treatment in a timely manner, including access to consultant dermatologists when required.
• Clear referral, consultation and discharge summaries were in use which ensured consistent communication and information sharing with patients’ own GPs.
• There were effective systems in place for the monitoring of high risk medicines.
• There were systems in place to report and record safety incidents or near misses. Lessons were learned and changes made as a result of incidents. Formal systems for sharing of learning with all staff were not established at the time of our visit, although improvement plans were in place to address this.
• The service made use of a range of clinical and non-clinical governance policies and protocols. Some of these were in need of updating at the time of our visit.
• The service undertook relevant quality improvement activity to review and improve the effectiveness of care provided. Care and treatment was delivered in line with current evidence based guidance.
• Patients remained under the care of the service until their condition was resolved, or alternative care and treatment pathways had been established. Patient feedback in relation to the service received was consistently positive.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements, and should:

• Develop clear lines of communication to include all staff.
• Continue to work with practices from where their services are hosted to maintain appropriate infection prevention and control and maintenance standards.
• Review and improve staff immunisation checks in line with the Department of Health recommendations.