09 July 2021
During a routine inspection
This service is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection 02 2020 – 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 Weightmedics 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.
Weightmedics 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 service organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs and took account of patient needs and preferences.
- The service took complaints and concerns seriously and responded them appropriately to improve the quality of care.
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 rationale when a different approach to national guidance is taken in order to protect patient safety.
- Review the system for sharing treatment plans with patient’s own GPs to ensure they are sent consistently.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care