Archived: ZoomDoc

We rated this service as 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 had inspected the service at another location in February 2018 using our previous methodology and had not applied a rating. We had identified some areas of non-compliance with regulations, relating to safe and effective care, including issues regarding the service’s medicines and prescribing protocols, infection prevention and control audits and evidence of staff training. ZoomDoc Ltd (the provider) sent us a plan of the action it would take to address the issues and comply with the relevant regulations.

The provider had moved its business to the new location in January 2019. We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 10 September 2019 to follow up on the breach of regulations and to assess a rating for the service. We found that the provider had taken appropriate action to meet the requirements of the regulations.

The provider offers a private GP service, initially by telephone and online video consultations bookable via a secure mobile application (app.). GPs may visit patients at their homes, office or hotels, having triaged the patients’ condition and healthcare needs, or if specifically requested by the patient. Patients can book a 10-minute telephone or online video consultation or a 25-minute face-to-face consultation with a GP 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

At this inspection we found:

• The provider had good systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. There were processes in place to ensure when incidents did occur they were investigated and learned from.
• The provider routinely monitored the effectiveness and appropriateness of the service.
• Patients could access care and treatment from the provider within an appropriate timescale to meet their needs.
• Staff involved and treated people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review the arrangements for holding regular clinical meetings with GPs, to ensure effective communication on matters relating to the service.
• Review the arrangements for conducting regular clinical audits to drive improvement.
• Continue to monitor prescribing within the service to ensure appropriate prescribing of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
• Maintain evidence of GPs’ ongoing Mental Capacity Act training relating to patients’ consent to treatment.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care