Harley Fitzrovia Health

Updated 13 September 2022

Harley Fitzrovia Health provides consultations with independent doctors from premises located at 253-269 High Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 9FB. The service provides consultations with independent doctors, blood tests and a variety health screening services.

This fee-paying service provides the above range of health services to children and adults.

The service is located is on one floor of a converted commercial building with the entrance at the front of the building, which allows for easy access for those with mobility issues. There are two separate entrances at the front of the building. One of the entrances allows for temperature checking of visitors prior to access to the service with covid-type symptoms and a separate consultation room. The second entrance leads directly to the reception, patient waiting area and four consultation rooms. Also, on this floor is the service managers office, and an area for processing and analysing bloods.

The registered manager of the service is the service manager. Consultations are undertaken by a team of eight doctors/consultants (all directors of the service) who are all registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). Other staff working at the service include a practice nurse, a healthcare assistant and four reception staff who are managed by the service manager.

Appointments are available as follows: -

• Mon 8:30 - 5pm
• Tue 8:30 - 8pm
• Wed 8:30 - 5pm
• Thur 8:30 - 8pm
• Fri 8:30 - 5pm
• Sat 8:30 - 2:30pm

How we inspected this service

Throughout the pandemic CQC has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, considering the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our inspections differently.

This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site. This was with consent from the service and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.

During our inspection we:-

• Looked at the systems in place relating to safety and governance of the service.
• Viewed key policies and procedures
• Conducted interviews with staff
• Reviewed clinical records

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 13 September 2022

This service is rated as Good overall.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Harley Fitzrovia Health on 27 July 2022. This inspection was conducted as part of our inspection programme of registered independent health providers.

Harley Fitzrovia Health is registered with CQC under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of the following regulated activities: diagnostic and screening procedures, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury. Harley Fitzrovia Health specialise in providing a range of private GP appointments as well as treatments and services relating to physiotherapy, medical and travel vaccinations, blood testing, mole mapping and fertility treatments.

At the time of our visit, the service had been functional for nine months.

The provider 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 systems in place which kept patients safe. These included checks on patients attending the service and risk assessments conducted to ensure staff and patients were safe whilst attending the service.
• Staff at the service had the skills and knowledge to provide effective care.
• The service was offered on a private, fee paying basis only and was accessible to patients who chose to use it. Patients were able to access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs.
• The service obtained consent to care and treatment in line with legislation and guidance.
• Provision of services at the clinic considered patient demand and included timely access appointments which included face-to-face, telephone and video consultations.
• There was a focus on innovative, learning and improvement.

The areas where the service should make improvements: -

• Incorporate a system of peer-review of clinical staff records to ensure consistency and quality.
• Devise processes to ensure timely follow-up of required patient tests.
• Consider safeguarding level two training to reception/administrative staff who may have contact with children as recommended by The Royal College intercollegiate guidance.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services