EA Clinic Limited

Updated 6 September 2021

EA Clinic Limited opened in 2009 and is located in Marylebone, London. The clinic primarily serves the communities of London but accepts patient referrals from outside this area. Facilities include one operating theatre, a recovery area and consulting rooms.

The clinic provides cosmetic surgery to adults. The clinic also offers cosmetic procedures, such as dermal fillers and laser hair removal, that are not within our scope of regulation and therefore were not inspected as part of this inspection.

The current registered manager has been in post since 2015. The clinic is registered to provide the following regulated activities:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures
• Surgical procedures
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

Activity (August 2020 to July 2021)

• The clinic carried out 132 surgical procedures. The three most common surgical procedures were ultrasound assisted liposuction, radio frequency assisted liposuction and skin tightening.
• The clinic carried out approximately 550 outpatient appointments.

As of July 2021, the clinic employed three members of staff; a medical director, a clinic manager and an administrator. The clinic also had its own bank of registered nurses and operating department practitioners. One anaesthetist worked at the clinic under practising privileges.

Updated 6 September 2021

We have not rated this service before. We rated it as requires improvement because:

• The service did not have an effective system to monitor bank staff training.
• Flammable substances were not stored safely.
• The clinic did not have a formal admission or exclusion criteria, setting out the safe and agreed criteria for the selection and admission of patients.
• This clinic did not routinely share information about the patient’s surgery with their GP.
• Policies did not always reflect the service being delivered.
• Local audits were completed on an ad hoc basis.
• Staff had used family members to interpret information for patients who did not speak English.
• There were no arrangements in place for the independent review of complaints.
• The service had a vision for what it wanted to achieve but no strategy to turn it into action.
• The clinic did not have effective arrangements for the identification, recording and management of risks.
• The service did not have effective systems to regularly review and discuss clinical governance.

However:

• Staff knew how to report incidents and most staff were confident describing what types of incidents they would report.
• The service controlled infection risk well. Staff used equipment and control measures to protect patients, themselves and others from infection. In most areas the design, maintenance and use of facilities, premises and equipment kept people safe. Staff managed clinical waste well.
• Staff knew how to assess, monitor and manage patient risk.
• The service had enough staff with the right qualifications, skills and experience to keep patients safe. The service made sure staff were competent for their roles. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and knew how to apply it.
• Staff kept detailed records of patients’ care and treatment. Records were clear, up to date, stored securely and easily available to all staff providing care.
• The service used systems and processes to safely prescribe, administer, record and store medicines. Staff assessed and monitored patients regularly to see if they were in pain and gave pain relief in a timely way.
• Staff followed national guidelines to make sure patients fasting before surgery were not without food for long periods.
• Information about the outcomes of people's care and treatment was routinely collected and monitored.
• Staff worked together as a team to benefit patients. They supported each other to provide good care.
• Staff supported patients to make informed decisions about their care and treatment. They followed national guidance to gain patients’ consent.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs. Staff provided emotional support to patients to minimise their distress. Staff supported patients to make informed decisions about their care and treatment.
• The service provided care in a way that met the needs of patients and took account of some patients’ individual needs and preferences. People could access the service when they needed it and received care promptly.
• It was easy for people to give feedback and raise concerns about the care they had received. The service treated concerns and complaints seriously and investigated them appropriately.
• Managers had the skills and abilities to run the service. They were visible and approachable leaders. Staff reported an open and honest culture, focussed on the needs of patients.
• Patient information was managed in line with data security standards.
• Managers engaged with patients and staff to plan and manage services. Staff were committed to continually learning and improving services.

Updated 6 September 2021