Sk:n - Manchester Albert Square

Updated 1 July 2022

Sk:n Manchester Albert Square provides independent doctor-led dermatology services, offering skin treatments such as prescribing for acne and other skin conditions, and minor surgical procedures, including the excision of moles and other skin lesions. The service also provides non-regulated aesthetic treatments, for example, cosmetic Botox injections, laser hair removal, skin peels and hydrafacial procedures which are not within the CQC scope of registration.

The Registered Provider is Lasercare Clinics (Harrogate) Limited, who provide services from more than 50 locations across England.

Sk:n – Manchester Albert Square is located at 1 Albert Square, Manchester, M2 3FU

The clinic opening times are:

• Monday to Friday – 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Saturday – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Sunday – 10:00 – 5:00 pm

The staff team is comprised of a clinic manager, supported by aesthetic practitioners who all provide only non-regulated aesthetic treatments. Doctors who specialise in dermatology, provide dermatology consultations and treatments at the clinic subject to client’s individual needs and appointment bookings. Staff are supported by the provider’s regional and national management and governance teams.

The service is located on the second floor and lift access is not available for clients of the clinic (only goods and services). The premises includes an office / refreshment area, five treatment rooms and a reception and waiting area. Patients are able to access toilet facilities within the building. Patients with limited mobility are diverted via the contact centre to more suitable locations such as the Sk:n Chester Vicars Lane.

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 1 July 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 Sk:n Manchester Albert Square on 18 May 2022 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The inspection was planned to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This was the first rated inspection of the service. The service was previously inspected in September 2013, when it was not rated but was found to be meeting all standards that were inspected.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account 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 provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.

This included:

• Speaking with staff in person and on the telephone.
• Requesting documentary evidence from the provider.
• A site visit.
• Additional communications for clarification.

We carried out an announced site visit to the service on 18 May 2022. Prior to our visit we requested documentary evidence electronically from the provider. We spoke to staff in person on 18 May 2022 and via a video call on 16 May 2022.

The provider specialises in a combination of medical aesthetic treatments and anti-ageing medicine, as well as offering skin rejuvenation and a range of dermatology treatments. This service provides independent doctor-led dermatology services, offering a mix of regulated skin treatments and minor surgical procedures, as well as other non-regulated aesthetic treatments.

This service is registered with CQC under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of some, but not all, of the services it provides. There are some exemptions from regulation by CQC which relate to particular types of regulated activities and services and these are set out in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Sk:n Manchester Albert Square provides a wide range of non-surgical aesthetic interventions, for example, cosmetic Botox injections and dermal fillers which are not within the CQC scope of registration. Therefore, we did not inspect or report on these services.

Sk:n Manchester Albert Square is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide the following regulated activities: Treatment of disease, disorder or injury, Diagnostic and screening procedures and Surgical Procedures.

The service did not have a registered manager. The provider informed us that another registered manager within the group had been asked to apply to add the location Sk:n Manchester Albert Square to their existing registration on an interim basis, pending the return to work of the substantive clinic manager post holder. We were assured that the substantive post holder would be requested to re-apply upon their return to work.

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 a 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:

• Leaders and staff engaged positively in the inspection process and were open and transparent regarding the challenges they had experienced with the management of the service.
• The provider had established governance and monitoring processes to provide assurance to leaders that systems were operating as intended. Plans were in place to address outstanding action plans and to ensure continuous improvement in the service.
• There were safeguarding systems and processes to keep people safe.
• Clinical record keeping lacked detail in some areas.
• There were appropriate arrangements in place to manage medical emergencies. Risk assessments had been completed for any recommended medicines not stocked and suitable emergency equipment was in place.
• Recruitment checks had been carried out in accordance with regulations.
• There were comprehensive health and safety risk assessments and processes in place.
• The service routinely sought feedback from patients and used this information to monitor and improve the service.
• The provider had a comprehensive complaints procedure however documented evidence of resolutions had not always been maintained.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• The provider should ensure clinical records contain sufficient detail and information to provide appropriate audit trails of actions taken and by whom.
• Patients referred to other services should be followed up where appropriate, to ensure appropriate treatment plans have been put in place to safeguard patient safety.
• The provider should continue to embed their plans to improve the management of complaints records and staff awareness of the required processes.
• The provider should continue to support the management of the service to ensure consistent leadership and continuous improvement.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care