We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 5 January 2016 to ask the service the following key questions: Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?
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
Bristol Fitness and Wellbeing Centre is part of Nuffield Health a not-for-profit healthcare provider. The health assessment clinic is based within the centre. Over 90% of patients seen in the clinic are employees of organisations who are provided with health and wellbeing services as part of their employee benefit package. The services are provided to adults and older people privately and are not currently commissioned by NHS. The clinic is closely linked to the Bristol Nuffield Hospital. The organisation promotes involvement in the local community and the centre supports local community events such as the Park on Park Street and Bristol Sports Day by offering free health advice sessions and information.
The core opening hours for the clinic are Monday to Friday 8.30am-5.00pm.
The staff team at the clinic consisted of a full time health screening doctor and four physiologists. (a physiologist is a graduate in exercise, nutrition and health sciences, and are full professional members of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). They are trained to carry out health assessments, give advice and motivate lifestyle changes affecting areas such as exercise, nutrition, sleep and stress management. The team undertook the planned health assessments.
The Integrated Clinical Services Manager 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.
We obtained feedback about the clinic from three completed Care Quality Commission comment cards and speaking with a patient during the inspection. The observations made by patients on the comment cards were all positive and reflected satisfaction with the clinic.
We found the service had met the regulations and had in place robust systems and protocols for staff to follow which kept patients safe.
Our key findings were:
- There was a transparent approach to safety with demonstrably effective systems in place for reporting and recording incidents.
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
- Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
- All health assessment rooms were well organised and equipped, with good light and ventilation.
- There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the blood screening equipment.
- Clinicians regularly assessed patients according to appropriate guidance and standards such as those issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
- Staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
- Staff were up to date with current guidelines and were led by a proactive management team.
- Risks to patients were well managed for example, there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.
- Staff were kind, caring, competent and put patients at their ease.
- The provider was aware of, and complied with, the requirements of the Duty of Candour.