Woodford Medical Limited

Updated 24 August 2023

Woodford Medical Limited (the provider) operates an independent clinic specialising in aesthetic medicine, located at 8 Upper Wimpole Street London W1G 6LH.

The provider is registered by the Care Quality Commission in respect of the regulated activities Treatment of disease, disorder or injury and Surgical procedures.

The provider runs two other clinics, in Cambridge and Danbury, Essex. These other locations were not visited as part of this inspection. Patients can be seen at the clinic of their choice, although disabled access was limited at the London clinic.

Services are provided by two doctors who are registered by the General Medical Council and who specialise in aesthetic medicine. They are supported by three therapists, a team of treatment advisers and a clinic manager. Treatment is provided to patients aged over 18. It includes aesthetic treatments for leg veins, wrinkles, excessive hair and skin tightening which are do not require CQC registration. The exception to this is thread lifts which are surgical procedures.

The clinic operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 5pm.

How we inspected this service

We carried out a site visit to the service location and met with the provider’s clinic manager. We reviewed evidence submitted by the provider.

Updated 24 August 2023

We carried out an announced focused inspection at Woodford Medical Limited on 2 August 2023, to follow up on breaches of regulations identified at our inspection in November 2022, when we rated the service as Requires improvement overall.

This inspection focused on issues relating to the key questions of Safe and Well-led.

This service is now rated as Good overall.

The two key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? Good

Are services well-led? Good

Are services effective? Previously rated good

Are services caring? Previously rated good

Are services responsive? Previously rated good

At our inspection in November 2022, we identified issues relating to the key questions Safe and Well-led:

• The provider could not demonstrate that a risk assessment had been carried out to ensure that an appropriate range of emergency medical equipment and emergency medicines were available on site.
• The provider had not ensured infection prevention and control audits were carried out regularly.
• The provider had failed to assure themselves the issues identified by the legionella risk assessment were addressed by the premises landlord.
• The provider could not demonstrate that clinicians’ required training had adequately covered their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and information governance.

These constituted a breach of Regulation 12 (1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and we served a notice on the provider requiring it to take action to comply with the regulation. The provider sent us a plan of the actions it intended to take, and we carried out this inspection to check on what had been implemented.

Our key findings were:

• A risk assessment had been conducted relating to emergency equipment and medicines; suitable stocks were being maintained and monitored.
• Regular infection prevention and control audits had been implemented, with the findings actioned, including in relation to legionella risk management.
• There was evidence that clinicians had undertaken training covering the Mental Capacity Act and information governance.

We found the provider had taken appropriate action to comply with the requirements of Regulation 12 (1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We have revised the ratings accordingly.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Health Care