10 June 2021
During a routine inspection
This service is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection 12 2019 – rated Good overall).
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 Richmond under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act (HSCA) 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This was part of our inspection programme to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to rate the service.
CQC inspected the service on 3 December 2019 and served a requirement notice for a breach of Regulation 12 (2) (g) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We asked the provider to make improvements regarding the medicines fridge and the detail included in patient records. We checked these areas as part of this comprehensive inspection and found that these issues had been resolved.
Richmond provides weight loss services, including prescribing medicines and dietary advice to support weight reduction. The Nurse Director 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 provider had implemented additional infection control measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
- The provider had developed a mobile phone application for patients to aid access to information on weight management.
- The provider had effective processes to develop leadership capacity and skills, including planning for the future leadership of the service.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Only supply unlicensed medicines against valid special clinical needs of an individual patient where there is no suitable licensed medicine available.
- Make a clear record of the dose and frequency information for medicines prescribed.
- Make a clear record of the rationale when a different approach to national guidance is taken in order to protect patient safety.
- Blood pressure readings should be taken and recorded in line with the clinic protocol.
- Review the system for sharing treatment plans with patient’s own GPs to ensure they are sent consistently.
- Review and improve how consent is obtained to ensure that patients are aware of all treatment risks.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care