Tarka Clinic

This service is rated as Good overall. This was the first inspection of this service.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Requires improvement

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 24 November 2021 at the Tarka Clinic 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. Tarka Clinic is a private clinic providing travel health advice, travel and non-travel vaccines, blood tests for antibody screening and travel medicines such as anti-malarial medicines to children and adults. In addition, the clinic holds a licence to administer yellow fever vaccines.

This location run by the provider North Devon Travel Clinic Limited is registered with CQC under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of some, (the provision of advice or treatment by, or under the supervision of, a medical practitioner, including the prescribing of medicines for the purposes of travel health) but not all, of the services it provides. There are some general 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. Services at the travel clinic include some, which under arrangements made by their employer 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 Tarka Clinic we were only able to inspect the services which are not arranged for clients by their employers whom the client holds a policy (other than a standard health insurance policy.

During the inspection, we reviewed online written comments and the clinic’s survey responses from people using the travel health service. Their comments described the service as efficient, flexible and personalised. Staff were said to be caring, efficient and knowledgeable.

Our key findings were:

• The clinic had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the provider learned from them and improved their processes.
• The provider routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence based guidelines and up to date travel health information.
• People using the service received an individualised travel health brief containing a risk assessment, health information including additional health risks related to their destinations and a written immunisation plan specific to them.
• Staff involved and treated people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• There was a leadership structure in place with clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management. Staff felt supported by the leadership team and worked well together as a team.
• The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour.
• Since registering with CQC, the provider had achieved accreditation with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service which is required for any clinics offering COVID 19 testing.
• We found recruitment processes were not consistently adhered to and information required had not been obtained in a timely way.
• Temporary closures of the clinic during the COVID 19 pandemic had resulted in staff being furloughed. Not all of the staff had completed the mandatory training required by the provider since re-opening, but this was in hand when we inspected.

There was an area where the provider must make improvements as they are in breach of a regulation:

Ensure recruitment procedures are established and operated effectively to ensure only fit and proper persons are employed

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Improve oversight of mandatory and role specific training for staff to ensure this is completed as per provider policy and within the timescales required.

• Review the emergency equipment held on site in line with NaTHNAC guidelines, specifically in regard to oxygen.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care