We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 20 January 2016 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.
Background
Thornhill Clinic - Luton is an independent doctors’ treatment and consultation service in Luton. The service provides privately funded circumcision procedures to males of all ages with a focus on babies and children.
The service carries out approximately 1500 circumcisions each year. In 2015, 1715 were undertaken.
All doctors at Thornhill Clinic have state registered qualifications, are registered with the GMC and are on a national performer list of recognised General Practitioners or Specialists.
The core opening hours for the service are Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. The clinic also offers appointments on Saturdays during holiday times, for example at Easter.
The clinical staff team consists of a paediatric surgeon/urologist who is the clinical director, two consultant urologists, two GPs, a trainee GP and seven nurses. All clinical staff work on a part time basis and are registered to practice in other NHS hospitals and GP surgeries. The clinical team is supported by the practice manager who is also an executive director, and two administrative staff.
The practice manager is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
During our visit to Thornhill Clinic on 20 January 2016, we spoke with the parents of three children using the service. They told us that they received a very good explanation about their children's procedures from the doctor. This included being informed of the potential risks or complications before being asked to consent to the procedures. They told us the staff appeared competent and qualified and treated them and their children with respect. They said they had no complaints or concerns about their children's care at the service.
As part of our inspection we also asked for CQC comment cards to be completed by patients or parents, prior to our inspection. We received 12 comment cards which were all positive about the standard of care received and that the staff always treated patients and their families with respect and explained treatment well and that the reception staff were polite and kind.
Our key findings were:
- There was a transparent approach to safety with demonstrably effective systems in place for reporting and recording incidents.
- Patients and parents 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 treatment rooms were well organised and equipped with good light and ventilation.
- There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly.
- Doctors regularly assessed patients according to appropriate guidance and standards such as those issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation.
- Staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
- Staff 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.
- Staff were kind, caring, and competent and put patients at their ease.
The provider was aware of, and complied with, the requirements of the Duty of Candour.