Archived: AskDoc Ltd Also known as gogodoc

Updated 11 February 2019

AskDoc Ltd is an independent GP service working with adults over 18 who require private consultations, physical examination and prescription of medication. The service provides a mobile service with an administration office at 3 Waterhouse Square, 138 Holborn, London, EC1N 2SW. Patients are able to book appointments online, over the phone or via the services digital app called Gogodoc.

The service is available 24 hours a day seven days per week.

AskDoc Ltd is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide:

• Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.
• Diagnostic and screening procedures

Our inspection team was led by a CQC lead inspector. The team included a second CQC Inspector and two GP specialist advisers.

The inspection was carried out on 13 December 2018. During the visit we:

• Spoke with a range of staff, including the registered manager, the practice manager, the chief operating officer and a salaried GP.
• Reviewed a sample of patient care and treatment records.

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 11 February 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 13th December 2018 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.

We carried out this inspection 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.

AskDoc Ltd is an independent GP service working with adults and children who require private consultations, physical examination and prescription of medication. The service primarily provides a mobile service, which patients can access via the telephone or the services app Gogodoc. The service also offers a consultation space in Holborn.

The registered manager is Dr Vijay Sivapalan. 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:

• Systems and processes were in place to keep people safe. The registered manager was the lead member of staff for safeguarding and had undertaken adult and child safeguarding training.
• The provider was aware of current evidence based guidance and they had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out his role.
• The provider was aware of their responsibility to respect people’s diversity and human rights.
• Patients were able to access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs.
• There was a complaints procedure in place and information on how to complain was readily available.
• Governance arrangements were in place. There were clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management.
• The service had systems and processes in place to ensure that patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment.
• The service had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
• The service had systems in place to collect and analyse feedback from patients.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice