16 September 2019
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
This service is rated as good overall. The service was previously inspected in June 2017.
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
The Boots Company plc was last inspected in June 2017, but it was not rated as this was not a requirement for online service providers at that time. Since April 2019, all service providers of this type are now rated, and this inspection was undertaken to provide a rating for this service.
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Boots Company PLC on 16 September 2019. The Boots Company PLC provides an online primary care consultation service and medicines ordering service through their subsidiary Independent Medical Agency.
Our key findings were:
- The service provided care in a way that kept service users safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
- Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
- Patients were treated with respect and commented that staff were helpful and involved them in decisions about their care.
- Services were tailored to meet the needs of individual patients.
- The culture of the service and the way it was led and managed drove the delivery and improvement of high-quality, person-centred care.
The area where the provider should make improvements are:
- Review systems to confirm identity checks for parents to ensure children are safeguarded from potential abuse and harm.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGPChief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care