Anna Medical Aesthetic Clinic

This service is rated as Good overall.

The service was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September 2020 and this is the first inspection since registration.

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? – Outstanding

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Anna Medical Aesthetic Clinic as part of our planned inspection programme.

Anna Medical Aesthetic Clinic is registered under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to provide the following regulated activities:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures,
• Surgical procedures,
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

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. Anna Medical Aesthetic Clinic provides a range of non-surgical cosmetic interventions, for example, hyaluronic acid injections and dermal fillers, which are not within CQC scope of registration. Therefore, we did not inspect or report on these services. We inspected those procedures offered by Anna Medical Aesthetic Clinic which are regulated activities, for example, PDO (Polydioxanone) thread lift; hyperhidrosis botulinum toxin (Botox) injections (for excessive sweating) and Botox injections for teeth grinding.

Anna Medical Aesthetic Clinic is led by a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with CQC 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.

Our key findings were:

• The service had clearly defined and embedded systems, processes and standard operating procedures to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse.
• There were systems to identify, monitor and manage risks and learn from incidents.
• The service provided effective treatments and ensured care and treatment were delivered in line with evidence-based guidelines.
• The staff treated patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• The service was responsive to peoples needs, patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The service had a clear strategy and vision. The governance arrangements promoted good quality care.

We saw the following outstanding practice:

• Anxiety or emotional concerns that might impact on patients’ treatment were assessed and addressed prior to the start of any procedures. This was conducted through an anxiety assessment by the lead clinician during initial consultations to identify any mental health difficulties or any further support required prior to aesthetic treatment. The lead clinician obtained further professional training in cognitive behaviour therapy to help provide compassionate support to patients.
• Leaders at all levels demonstrated the high levels of experience, capacity and capability needed to deliver excellent and sustainable care. Such as, awards in sector specific accreditation and providing stakeholder education. Leaders had a deep understanding of issues, challenges and priorities in their service sector.
• The continuing development of the staff’s skills, competence and knowledge was recognised as being integral to ensuring high-quality care. Staff were proactively supported and encouraged to acquire new skills, use their transferable skills and share best practice.
• There was a fully embedded and systematic approach to improvement, with a strong record of sharing work locally, nationally and internationally.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Healthcare