Archived: Dr Sharma Diagnostics Limited

Updated 30 April 2018

75 Wimpole Street operates under the provider Dr Sharma Diagnostics Limited. The provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission to carry on the regulated activity of treatment of disease, disorder or injury. The location site address that we visited as a part of our inspection is The Basement Clinic, 10A Upper Wimpole Street London W1G 6LL, where the provider rented a room from the nursing service.

Dr Rajendra Sharma is the registered manager; a registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. This service is made up of one doctor, a manager and a receptionist.

The service is open on Tuesdays between 1.30pm and 5pm and Wednesdays between 9am and 5pm, where the doctor carries out nine sessions per month. Services provided are homeopathy and complimentary medicine. Examples of the types of disorders the service treats are chronic fatigue, hormone imbalance, hypothyroidism and vitamin D deficiency.

The service has approximately 1000 active patients and takes on between 100 to 150 new patients each year. The service refers patients to the NHS or private services including those outside of the UK where necessary.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed information requested from the provider about the service they were providing. The inspection was undertaken on 29 March 2018 and the inspection team was led by a lead CQC inspector and included a GP specialist advisor. During the inspection we spoke with the doctor, viewed a sample of key policies and procedures, viewed patient records and made observations of the environment and infection control measures. We also had telephone contact with the service manager post inspection.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• Is it caring?

• Is it responsive to people’s needs?

• Is it well-led?

These questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 30 April 2018

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 29 March 2018 to ask the service the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this service was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this service was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this service was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this service was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found that this service was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

75 Wimpole Street is an independent health service based in Central London, where services provided include homeopathy and complimentary medicine. Examples of the types of disorders the service treats are chronic fatigue, hormone imbalance, hypothyroidism and vitamin D deficiency.

Our key findings were:

• There was evidence in place to support that the service carried out care and treatment in line with relevant guidance.
• There was a system for the doctor to keep up-to-date with new guidance and patient safety alerts.
• The information needed to plan and deliver care and treatment was available in a timely and accessible way.
• The service had systems to update external bodies such as GPs and consultants of care and treatment being provided to their patients.
• Systems were in place to protect personal information about patients.
• The doctor understood the relevant consent and decision making requirements of legislation and guidance, including the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• All staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities including in relation to safeguarding.
• Annual risk assessments were carried out including in relation to health and safety.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

Review the system for identifying significant events.