During our inspection we looked at the electronic records of six patients. Treatment options and choices had been discussed with patients, and it was recorded where advice had been given. At each appointment we saw the history of the patient’s condition was considered and future plans recorded.

We saw that all areas of the service were visibly clean. Hand wash and decontaminate was provided in all clinic rooms, and a selection of disposable gloves were also available.

The service was based in the newly built Integrated Care Centre that opened in 2009. There was a patient car park next to the building and lift access to all floors. The provider had a contract with the Integrated Care Centre who were responsible for the upkeep of the building and some aspects of the prevention and control of infection.

We saw that times of clinics were arranged according to the needs of patients. Staff worked on a variety of employment contracts that were flexible and usually allowed them to cover clinics at short notice.

All aspects of the service were regularly assessed and action plans were monitored to ensure improvements were made.

Patients spoke positively of the service. Their comments included “Everything is smashing here” and “If you have any questions they’ll tell you the answers straight, which is what you need”.