Dr Skin Surgery Ltd

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 registered provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

This is the first inspection for this registered provider 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.

Staff always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff understood the reasons people seek out their service, providing privacy and discretion as appropriate.

Appointment times across all 3 sites were staggered to reduce the likelihood of busy reception and waiting areas.

Patient feedback we reviewed highlighted the kindness and calmness of the clinician, especially during a recent procedure which unexpectedly turned into a much longer and complex procedure than first anticipated. Further feedback advised the approach of the clinician gave them time to discuss their treatment and concerns.

The clinic treated patients 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.

Staff gave patients timely support and information. The clinician we spoke with told us and provided a variety of examples when patients were given extra time and their treatment was explained so they knew what to expect. They also commented due to the nature of their service they worked closely with patients to understand and manage their expectations and their experience.

Patients were clear that treatment and targets were personalised and jointly agreed between the clinician and the patient. Staff emphasised patient experiences and results may vary and were dependent on a number of factors such as lifestyle, age and medical history. This was included within patient literature including the website.

The clinic promoted patients’ independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Treatment options, including alternative services, were clearly explained to people and a clear cost structure was in place.

Staff displayed an understanding and non-judgmental attitude when talking to patients who were seeking to resolve skin conditions and concerns regarding their appearance.

The clinic advertised treatments and displayed (unverified) feedback on their website that reflected people’s experiences of the different procedures and the outcomes. People were given information about procedures and treatment in advance and were encouraged to seek further medical opinions before making decisions on treatment.

There was a ‘cooling off’ period after the initial consultation for people if they decided not to go ahead with the treatment.

Patient feedback we reviewed highlighted they felt in control of every stage of their treatment and included reference of having a choice of music when undergoing a procedure with a view to relax, decrease anxiety and lower pain levels.

Staff 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.

Feedback indicated staff were flexible to accommodate patient’s needs, and they took time to observe, communicate and engage people in discussions about their immediate needs.

The clinic responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. Whilst patients were directed to alternate emergency services, there was an emergency phone line in cases where assistance or advice was required. Staff we spoke with knew the process for referral to emergency support.

The clinic had a small, well-established team who worked well together and supported each other to deliver person-centred care. The clinician (founder/owner) cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their small team and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care.

The clinician stated they valued the small team workforce and had worked to embed a positive culture which included opportunities for team meetings every 8 weeks. Staff feedback we received indicated they shared the clinician’s passion for making a difference to patients’ health and lives.