We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 8 August 2018 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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Health & Aesthetic Clinic is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide the regulated activities of Treatment of disease, disorder or injury, Diagnostic and Screening Procedures, Family Planning Services and Services in slimming clinics. The address of the registered provider is Health & Aesthetic Clinic Ltd, 374 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 4LS.

The clinic’s manager 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 in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

As part of our inspection we asked for CQC comment cards to be completed by patients prior to our inspection. We received 30 comment cards which were all positive about the standard of care received at the clinic.

Our key findings were:

• The clinic had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the clinic learned from them and improved their processes.
• The clinic routinely carried out audits required by the British College of Aesthetic Medicine and reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
• The clinic encouraged and valued feedback from clients.

There were areas where the provider should make improvements:

• Introduce ways to capture the information discussed during monthly clinical meetings, to mitigate risks after staff absence
• Implement processes to receive, implement and monitor medicines and safety alerts.
• Introduce a comprehensive process of quality assurance and quality improvement to enhance patient care and outcomes
• Complete an emergency medicines risk assessment and put in place arrangements to mitigate any risk identified.

People we spoke with were happy with the care they received. People told us that the service they received was very good and the doctor explained any treatment or tests that were needed. One person told us that the staff were always professional and sought their consent prior to examining them or carrying out any treatment. Another person told us that although it was her first time at the centre they were satisfied.

We found that people were involved in the decision about their care and were given adequate information about their treatment. The care was planned and delivered in a way that met people's needs and consent was sought prior to treatment being carried out. The provider responded to any concerns raised promptly, although the provider had not received any complaints within the last 12 months relating to medical care. Records were stored securely and there was a procedure in place for prescribing medication if required.

We were unable to speak with anyone using the service as the clinic did not have anyone using it on the day of our inspection.

At our inspection we found the clinic to be visibly clean and well lit. The clinic had disabled persons access including a ramp and a lift. The emergency equipment was in date and readily available and training for basic life support had been attended by staff and we saw the certificates in staff files. We saw that peoples records were kept securely and that these records were maintained and consents and medical information were current and signed by staff and service users.

Staff told us that satisfaction surveys were completed by people using the service and there was a high level of satisfaction with the service. The results of these surveys were displayed in the waiting area.

We saw that the service had a range of written material and information available to service users including the chaperone policy and the complaints procedure displayed in the waiting area. We found that medicines were stored safely and appropriately, we saw temperature logs and prescriptions for the dispensing of Prescription Only Medicines.

Staff had attended safeguarding training and there were safeguarding procedures in place. We saw a range of relevant and audited protocols and procedures. We saw that all consultation rooms were private and allowed for privacy and dignity of service users.