We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection in May 2018 to ask the service the following key questions; are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. We found that the service was not providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations. As a result, we issued a requirement notice as legal requirements were not being met and asked the provider to send us a report of what actions they were going to take to meet legal
requirements. The full comprehensive report can be found by selecting the ‘reports’ link for Doctors 4 You on our website at www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-2105468615.
This inspection was an announced comprehensive follow up inspection carried out on 11 December 2018 to check whether the providers had taken action to meet the legal requirements’ as set out in the requirement notice. The report covers our findings in relation to all five key questions.
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.
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.
Doctors 4 You is an independent health service based in North London, where services provided include dermatology, cardiology, paediatrics, gynaecology, ears nose throat, family medicine, phlebotomy, physiotherapy and psychology services, mainly to the Bulgarian community.
Our key findings were:
- Systems were in place to keep people who used the service safeguarded from abuse.
- There was a protocol in place to ensure identity checks were undertaken when a patient presented at the service for the first time.
- Doctors made use of NICE guidelines and shared learning from complex patient cases.
- The service had systems to update external bodies such as GPs and consultants of care being provided to patients.
- All staff members were up-to-date with training relevant to their role.
- Systems were in place to protect personal information about people who used the service.
- Prescription pads were used and stored in a safe way.
- The service carried out assessments to identify and mitigate risks including those associated with fire and infection.
- Completed CQC comment cards showed people who used the service were able to access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Continue to maintain up to date personnel files, ensuring these include appropriate information about professional indemnity arrangements in place for every clinician undertaking regulated activities at the service.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice