South Westminster Centre for Health Also known as South Westminster Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs, and that staff treated people equally and without discrimination. This is the first inspection for this service since its registration with CQC. This key question has been rated as Good.

This service scored 82 (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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. Our reviewof clinical records showed people were supported to understand their condition and were involved in decisions about their care.
 

The service had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

HCL worked in partnership with a wide range of other services and agencies as part of its work to tackle health inequalities across Westminster. HCL had tailored their approach taking account of international models which they had developed into a local community-led model called ‘The Octopus’. The aim of this work was to meet the diverse needs of more disadvantaged communities by building relationships with community groups and training a cohort of neighbourhood community workers. The approach was showing positive results, for example, in improved cervical screening coverage in the areas covered.
 

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The service had access to interpreter services, including British Sign Language. Information provided by the service met the Accessible Information Standard.
 

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support.

We saw complaints were managed in line with the service’s policy. Learning from complaints was evident and staff were able to identify changes made because of patient feedback.
 

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

HCL’s services were designed to provide consistent and timely access to care. The additional and extended access hubs were commissioned to ensure that people across Westminster had speedy access to primary care for acute problems. The diagnostic clinics could also demonstrate that people across Westminster had fair and timely access – all 31 GP practices referred eligible cases to the diagnostic clinics rather than to secondary care. Referrals to the dermatology clinic were triaged with more urgent cases being seen within a week and with the aim of seeing all people within a month (90% achievement). All the locations used to provide clinical services were physically accessible or adjustments were made (for example, providing a ground floor treatment room in one of the enhanced access GP practices) as required.
 

Staff and leaders were innovative in how they listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. Staff and leaders actively used this information to provide exceptionally tailored care, support and treatment in response to this.

HCL’s services were open to people in Westminster. People were referred by their own GP as clinically appropriate. Feedback provided by people using services, both to the provider as well as to CQC, was positive. Staff treated people equally and without discrimination. Staff used appropriate systems to capture and review feedback from people using the service. HCL coordinated a wider programme of work across Westminster to address barriers to improving people’s experience and outcomes and this involved working with a wide range of local organisations, including within the voluntary sector, to address any local health inequalities.
 

People typically used HCL’s clinical services for one-off or discrete periods of treatment. People were provided with information about what to do if things did not resolve. Clinical information was entered into the person’s medical record so it could be referenced by their usual health professionals.