Health First Surrey

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 people were always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We checked that people’s privacy and dignity was respected, that they understood that they and their experience of how they were treated and supported mattered. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take people’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people felt treated as individuals and with kindness, and their immediate needs were met. However, the system for managing blood sampling paperwork had the potential to risk the privacy of patients.

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their dignity. However, clinic processes presented a risk to people’s privacy and confidentiality. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

We observed the phlebotomist interacting with people with kindness and compassion. Feedback from people included there was an open and friendly atmosphere within the service. We observed the system for preparing for blood tests included labelled blood bottles and corresponding paperwork kept on a desk in the waiting room. This meant people’s personal identification information was visible to anyone who had access to this area. This included people waiting for their blood test, or an appointment at another service on the same floor of the building. In addition, we observed a person handed the incorrect sample package for posting.

The registered manager collaborated with a private CQC registered GP practice who rented a clinic room adjacent to the phlebotomy room. We observed positive interactions with colleagues.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. Staff had not completed training in equality, diversity and inclusion and could not fully demonstrate an approach that took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Feedback from patients included that the registered manager took account of their individual needs. This included when they shared information about any previous issues when having blood taken, for example, in relation to the ease of accessing their veins.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. However, they did not always receive information on access to the service until after they had booked and paid for their appointment. This meant that patients with access issues may have to wait for a refund, rather than be informed of accessibility to the service prior to booking.

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.

We observed the registered manager supporting people to meet their needs. They were prompt, attentive and listened to any concerns.

Health First Surrey is an independent health service. They provide a phlebotomy service where they carry out blood samples to support the diagnosis of a wide range of health symptoms and characteristics. The service is operated by the registered manager who is the only person working within the service. While this quality statement is not relevant for this service, the registered manager had supervision / debrief sessions with a qualified practitioner in support of their wellbeing within their role.