We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 2 October 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.

The Wells clinic is an independent healthcare provider based in Surrey. The clinic provides a private GP service alongside an aesthetic cosmetic service. The private GP services are provided to both children and adults.

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 Wells Clinic the aesthetic cosmetic treatments are exempt by law from CQC regulation. Therefore, we were only able to inspect GP services but not the facial aesthetic services.

Dr Sarah Wells 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.

26 people provided feedback about the service, and all the feedback was positive.

Our key findings were:

• Patients told us they found it easy to access appointments with a GP.
• Patients said they were treated with care, compassion, dignity and respect.
• Services were provided to meet the needs of patients.
• The practice offered early morning and Saturday appointments if required.
• The practice offered a range of vaccinations for children, adults and for travel purposes.
• Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• There were arrangements to safeguard patients from abuse.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand. There had been one complaint.
• Systems were in place to deal with medical emergencies and staff were trained in basic life support.
• The treatment room was well organised and equipped, with good light and ventilation.
• The culture of the service encouraged candour, openness and honesty.

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

• Review the training for chaperones
• Review the number of two cycle clinical audits
• Review the requirement for a paediatric pulse oximeter

• Review the requirement to have easy access to a translation service and a hearing loop