We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 4 December 2017 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.

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.

We visited The Medical @ Temple Quay which is a private doctor’s consultation service and doctor’s treatment service. The service is aimed at people who are working and who cannot get an appointment at their registered GP which suits their working pattern. All consultations are face to face between patients and clinicians.

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 The Medical @ Temple Quay (The Medical) services are provided to patients under arrangements made by their employer/ a government department/an insurance company with whom the servicer user holds a policy (other than a standard health insurance policy). These types of arrangements are exempt by law from CQC regulation. Therefore, at The Medical, we were only able to inspect the services which are within the regulatory parameters for which the provider is regulated.

Dr Geoffrey Hogg 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.

There was limited feedback from the single comment card completed however, the service has feedback forms available and patients can comment online.

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 consultation rooms were well organised and equipped, with good light and ventilation.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly.
• Clinicians regularly assessed patients according to appropriate guidance and standards such as those issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
• The staff team maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
• The staff team 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.
• The provider was aware of, and complied with, the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

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

• Review that recruitment procedures are established and operated effectively to be able to demonstrate only fit and proper persons are employed.
• Review the electronic record system for medicines so that expiry dates are flagged.