Blackberry Clinic - Milton Keynes

Updated 2 December 2019

Blackberry Clinic provides diagnoses and treatment for musculoskeletal conditions and physiotherapy, particularly sport and exercise related. Health assessments are offered under contract to Bupa Health Clinics. Blackberry Clinic works with other providers who offer radiology, pathology and cardiology services. Patients refer themselves to the service.

The service was previously inspected by CQC on 17 July 2018 before ratings were introduced for independent healthcare services. The following Regulated Activities are delivered: diagnostic and screening procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The service opened at this location in 1988 and is part of a group of ten clinics. The Milton Keynes clinic is open from 8am to 5pm on Mondays and Fridays, 8am to 8pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 9am to 2pm Saturdays. Health assessments are available between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday.

Blackberry Clinic is managed by the Centre Manager (who is also the CQC Registered Manager), the Clinic Medical Director, who is also is the service’s musculoskeletal and sports physician and an Operations/Finance Director. The clinic is staffed by three consultant pain specialists and five musculoskeletal consultant specialists, two health care assistants, two health advisers who are also trained as Health Care Assistants (HCAs) and one health adviser. There are 20 consultants within the Blackberry group who can work at any location when the need arises. The non-clinical team consists of a clinic manager, two account administrators, five receptionists and 12 practitioners. The clinic sees 35-40 patients each week and only patients suitable for day surgery are treated.

Full details of the services provided are available on the Blackberry Clinic website at www.blackberryclinic.co.uk

How we inspected this service

Before the inspection we reviewed the information submitted by the provider about the services available at Blackberry Clinic.

During the inspection we spoke with a range of staff, reviewed documents, including medical records, and comment cards where patients had shared their views and experiences of the service.

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 2 December 2019

This service is rated as Good overall. The practice was previously inspected by CQC on 17 July 2018 before ratings were introduced.

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 Blackberry Clinic on 24 September 2019 as part of our inspection programme to rate independent health providers. Blackberry Clinic is an independent provider of general medical services to adults and children based in Milton Keynes. The provider has other locations which were not inspected on this occasion.

The service had clear systems to respond to incidents and measures were taken to ensure incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.

• Systems were in place to deal with medical emergencies and clinical staff were trained in basic life support.
• The service carried out risk assessments such as fire and health and safety to support the monitoring and mitigation of potential risks. There were systems in place to reduce risks to patient safety. For example, infection control practices were carried out appropriately and there were regular checks to ensure staff had access to personal protective equipment.
• Patients were provided with information about their procedures, possible side effects and after care.
• Systems were in place to protect personal information about patients.
• An induction programme was in place for all staff which included induction training linked to staff roles and responsibilities.
• Clinical staff were trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• The service encouraged and acted on feedback from patients. Patient survey information we reviewed as well as completed CQC comment cards showed that people who used the service were positive about their experience.
• Information about services and how to complain was available.
• The service had good facilities, including disabled access. It was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership and staff structure and staff understood their roles and responsibilities.
• There were governance systems and processes in place to ensure the quality of service provision.

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