We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 22 March 2018, where we found that the service was not providing safe or well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations. We carried out an announced focused inspection on 15 January 2019 to ensure that the service was providing care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this service was not providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations. The impact of our concerns is minor for patients using the service, in terms of the quality and safety of clinical care.

Are services well-led?

We found that this service was not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations. The impact of our concerns is minor for patients using the service, in terms of the quality and safety of clinical care.

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.

The principal GP 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.

Our key findings were:

• The service had reviewed and improved systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen.
• There was not an effective process in place to monitor medicines within the service.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

We identified regulations that were not being met and the provider must:

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.

You can see full details of the regulations not being met at the end of this report.

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

• Review staff vaccinations to ensure they are maintained in line with current Public Health Guidance.
• Review signage for rooms where oxygen cylinders are stored.
• Review how equipment not owned or used by the services is stored.
• Review systems for recording recruitment checks and training records for employed GPs.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 22 March 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 not providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations. The impact of our concerns is minor for patients using the service, in terms of the quality and safety of clinical care.

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 not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations. The impact of our concerns is minor for patients using the service, in terms of the quality and safety of clinical care.

Background

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.

The Hove Clinic provides private GP services. There are three GPs (two male, one female). The Hove Clinic is also supported by a practice manager and reception/administration staff. The service is provided from the ground and first floors, in a converted residential building. The service has two consulting rooms and administrative areas. Services are offered Monday to Thursday 8am to 8pm, Fridays 8am to 5pm and alternate Saturdays 8:30am to 12pm. The Hove Clinic provides services to adults and children under 18.

This service is registered with CQC under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of the private GP services, sexual health and minor surgery it provides. The service is registered by CQC to provide the following regulated activities; Maternity and midwifery services, Family planning services, Treatment of disease, disorder or injury, Surgical procedures and Diagnostic and screening procedures.

On the day of inspection it was not entirely clear from the provider’s website what services it actually offered as the website was also promoting other services that run from the same address, for example, physiotherapy.

The lead GP 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 also asked for CQC comment cards to be completed by patients prior to our inspection. We received 15 comment cards which were all positive about the standard of care received. Patients told us that they were treated professionally in a caring manner.

Our key findings were:

• The service had some systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen.
• The service routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based research or guidelines.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

We identified regulations that were not being met and the provider must:

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
• Ensure recruitment procedures are established and operated effectively to ensure only fit and proper persons are employed.

We saw that the treatment rooms were clean and comfortable and promoted people's privacy and dignity. People were given information about the services available at the clinic. People's views and comments were taken into account through feedback.

People told us that they were satisfied with their care and the professionalism of staff. The provider was focused on people's individual needs and this was confirmed to us by looking at the comments of people who had used the service. The clinic was positive and welcoming and the staff were observed to be friendly and accommodating towards visitors.

We found that the rooms at the clinic were clean and tidy and simple in design. We saw that equipment used to treat people using the service was clean. The provider had a system in place for the appropriate disposal of clinical waste and sharps, in line with current waste regulations.

There was a robust recruitment and selection process in place with evidence of checks being undertaken for new employees. Staff had the appropriate qualifications, skills and knowledge for their roles. Staff completed a thorough induction process followed by on-going professional development.

The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of service provision through surveys and audits. The provider effectively dealt with incidents, risks and complaints. People felt confident to discuss their concerns with staff should the situation arise.