We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 28 September 2018 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.

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.

Health and Aesthetics is an independent healthcare provider. The clinic provides a weight control service including the taking and screening of blood tests. The weight control services are provided to adults only.

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 service and these are set out in Schedule 2 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. At Health and Aesthetics, the aesthetic cosmetic treatments are exempt by law from CQC regulation. Therefore, we were only able to inspect the weight reduction services involving the screening of blood but not the aesthetic services.

Dr Rekha Tailor 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.

44 people provided feedback about the overall service via the CQC comment cards all of which were positive about the standard of care they received. The service was described as excellent, professional, helpful and caring.

Our key findings were:

• Risks to patients were well managed. For example, there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.
• The service routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence based research or guidelines.
• Staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Systems were in place to deal with medical emergencies and staff were trained in basic life support. However, the provider did not have a defibrillator.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• The treatment room was well organised and equipped, with good light and ventilation.
• The practice was proactive in seeking patient feedback and identifying and solving concerns.
• The culture of the service encouraged candour, openness and honesty.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review local policy and procedure for checking proof of identity for patients around the age of 18 so as to ensure they could satisfy themselves of the patient’s age.