Wessex Skin

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

This is the first inspection for this service since its registration with CQC. This key question has been rated as Good.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Privacy and dignity were prioritised, especially for sensitive condition, fostering a non-judgemental and relaxed environment. People who used the service described staff as professional, knowledgeable and caring.

Arrangements were in place to protect people’s privacy, including the use of blinds, privacy screens and lockable treatment room doors where appropriate. Signs were also used to indicate when consultations or treatments were in progress, helping to minimise interruptions and maintain people’s dignity. People who needed to undress for treatments were provided with clean robes, and we observed staff consistently knocking and waiting before entering rooms.

During our site visit, we observed staff treating people with kindness, respect and compassion. For example, during a telephone enquiry, the staff member took time to understand the person's needs and preferences and ensured these were considered when arranging their appointment.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People’s personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met. Individual communication needs were met to enable people to be fully involved in their care. Staff used alerts within their clinical system to record information that may affect a person’s experience or support requirements, such as where a person was anxious, required additional time during consultations, had communication needs, or wished to ask further questions before making decisions about treatment.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People chose whether to access and continue treatment and remained in control of decisions about their care. The service promoted informed choice by providing a cooling-off period and supporting people to reconsider treatment decisions where appropriate. Staff told us people could change their minds at any stage, and where treatment was not suitable, alternative options were discussed and consultation fees could be refunded.

The service carried out an initial assessment of people’s needs and discussed suitable treatment options with them. Information about available treatments and associated costs was clearly available on the provider’s website, helping people make informed decisions before accessing the service. Staff told us people could stop treatment at any stage if they wished.

Where appropriate, people could choose their practitioner and continue their care with the same practitioner if they preferred. The service also respected people’s choices about involving those important to them in their care, for example by allowing partners, carers or family members to attend consultations and treatments where this was requested by the person.

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff had the knowledge and experience to identify when people required support beyond the scope of the service and took appropriate action to signpost or refer them to other healthcare providers. This included people who required urgent assessment or more specialised treatment. For example, staff directed people to relevant specialist services, such as dermatology or surgical teams, where this was considered more appropriate to meet their needs.

Staff responded flexibly to people’s immediate needs and took steps to reduce anxiety or distress where required. For example, staff adapted their approach by offering additional reassurance, using distraction techniques and making adjustments to treatment to improve comfort, such as the use of numbing cream where appropriate. This helped people feel supported and at ease throughout their care and treatment.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they felt valued and supported within the service.

Leaders promoted staff wellbeing and development through regular engagement, support and recognition. Staff told us they felt able to raise concerns and escalate issues when needed, and annual appraisals provided opportunities to discuss wellbeing, performance and development needs.

Staff wellbeing was also supported through regular team meetings and informal opportunities to come together as a team. We saw team building opportunities were established within the service, including annual Christmas lunches. Leaders also recognised staff contributions through sharing positive feedback and providing opportunities for staff recognition and reward.