Oxford Hormone Clinic

Updated 31 March 2023

• Oxford Hormone Clinic Ltd
• 69-71 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 6PE
• Oxford Hormone Clinic provides consultations for women who are experiencing symptoms associated with the menopause. They provide diagnostic tests and provide information and choices about potential treatments. These included blood tests sent to an external laboratory and analysis of the results. Wellbeing and lifestyle information was gathered, including blood pressure checks. Medicines could be prescribed by the service where appropriate which include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), medicines to help with low mood associated with the symptoms of menopause and alternative medicines. The service also refers some women to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). All the medicines and treatments provided are recommended National Institute of Health and Care Guidance (NICE). Two female doctors provide care and manage the service. They were the only staff employed at the location.

How we inspected this service

We requested information in advance of the inspection from the provider and undertook a site visit on 15 March 2023. We reviewed care records, documents related to the management of the service, patient feedback and observed the premises. We spoke with the two clinical members of staff.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?

These questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 31 March 2023

This service is rated as Good.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Oxford Hormone Clinic because the service registered with CQC in September 2021 and was yet to receive an inspection.

Oxford Hormone Clinic provides consultations for women who are experiencing symptoms associated with the menopause. They provide diagnostic tests and provide information and choices about potential treatments. Medicines can be prescribed by the service where appropriate which include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), medicines to help with low mood associated with the symptoms of menopause and alternative medicines. The service also refers some women to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). All the medicines and treatments provided are recommended by National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.

One of the lead clinicians 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.

Our key findings were:

• The service has processes and mitigations in place regarding risks to ensure it is safe
• Care was assessed and delivered on an individual basis.
• National guidance was considered and followed in delivering services
• Clinicians were qualified and experienced in the areas of care they provided.
• There were arrangements to ensure consent was sought and that patients were fully informed about their care options.
• Reasonable adjustments were made to protect people’s privacy, dignity and enable access to the service where they had specific requirements.
• There were appropriate governance arrangements in place.
• There was monitoring and oversight of care and non-clinical elements of the service.
• The provider prescribed unlicensed medicines against valid special clinical needs of an individual patient where there was no suitable licensed medicine available.

The provider should:

• Continue to consider and implement proposed changes for ensuring confidentiality is always maintained in regards to the access of patient records.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services