The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • Independent doctor

Midlands Community Services Ltd

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Kiddemore Green Road, Brewood, Staffordshire, ST19 9BQ (01902) 859903

Provided and run by:
Midlands Community Services Ltd

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Midlands Community Services Ltd on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Midlands Community Services Ltd, you can give feedback on this service.

25 April 2019

During a routine inspection

This service is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection March 2018 – which was an unrated inspection in line with our inspection programme).

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Midlands Community Services Ltd. This was to rate the service as part of our inspection programme.

Midlands Community Services Limited (MCS) is based in Brewood, Staffordshire and provides a vasectomy and carpel tunnel decompression service through the NHS for patients living in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.

This service is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 for treatment of disease, disorder or injury; surgical procedures; diagnostic and screening procedures and is registered as an Independent Healthcare Company. As a provider of Independent Healthcare the practice is able to offer its surgical services to patients from a much wider area than the NHS practice list at the same site. MCS is managed from Brewood Medical Practice and the directors of the company are also the GP partners at the practice.

Dr Alexander Houlder 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.

In preparation for the inspection, the practice had been sent blank comment cards and a small collection box from CQC. The team had taken these cards and boxes with them to their surgical sites in preparation for our inspection on the 2 April 2019. We received a total of 23 completed comment cards which included patients who had undergone either vasectomy and carpel tunnel care and treatment. All 23 of the cards were very positive about the service and care received.

Feedback obtained clearly demonstrated positive outcomes for patients. Patients spoke highly of the care and treatment they had received from the clinic. They described staff as friendly, efficient, helpful and caring. They also commented that staff put them at their ease during the procedure. Staff we spoke with told us they were well supported in their work and were proud to be part of a team which provided a high-quality service.

Our key findings were:

  • Patients received detailed and clear information about their proposed treatment which enabled them to make an informed decision.
  • Patients were offered convenient, timely and flexible appointments at a location of their choice.
  • Staff helped patients to be involved in decisions about their care. Patients were provided with patient information packs containing written pre and post treatment literature.
  • There was a transparent approach to safety with demonstrably effective systems in place for reporting and recording adverse incidents.
  • There were effective procedures in place for monitoring and managing risks to patient and staff safety. For example, there were arrangements to prevent the spread of infection.
  • The service had a structured programme of quality improvement activity and routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care provided.
  • There was effective leadership, management and governance arrangements in place that assured the delivery of high-quality care and treatment.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Seek assurances that appropriate risk assessments are in place at the sites managed by other providers.
  • Obtain information about any relevant physical or mental health conditions for all newly appointed members of staff.
  • Maintain a log of significant events and complaints from all data sources to monitor events over time for any trends.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGPChief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

27 March 2018

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 27 March 2018 to ask the service the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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.

Midlands Community Services Limited (MCS) is based in Brewood, Staffordshire and provides a vasectomy and carpel tunnel decompression service through the NHS for patients living in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent. MCS is managed from Brewood Medical Practice and the directors of the company are also the GP partners at the practice.

Clinics are provided at the following sites:

  • Brewood Medical Practice, Brewood, Staffordshire
  • Cobridge Health Centre, Stoke on Trent
  • Bentilee Health Centre, Stoke on Trent
  • Stafford General Infirmary, Stafford
  • Cannock Chase Hospital, Cannock
  • Samuel Johnson Hospital, Lichfield

Dr A Houlder is the registered manager for MCS. 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.

In preparation for the inspection, 14 patients provided feedback about the service they had received (10 vasectomy and four carpel tunnel). Feedback obtained clearly demonstrated positive outcomes for patients. Patients spoke highly of the care and treatment they had received from the clinic. They described staff as friendly, efficient, helpful and caring. They also commented that staff put them at their ease during the procedure. Staff we spoke with told us they were well supported in their work and were proud to be part of a team which provided a high quality service.

Our key findings were:

  • Patients received detailed and clear information about their proposed treatment which enabled them to make an informed decision.
  • Patients were offered convenient, timely and flexible appointments at a location of their choice.
  • Staff helped patients be involved in decisions about their care. Patients were provided with patient information packs containing written pre and post treatment literature.
  • There was a transparent approach to safety with demonstrably effective systems in place for reporting and recording adverse incidents.
  • There were effective procedures in place for monitoring and managing risks to patient and staff safety. For example, there were arrangements to prevent the spread of infection.
  • The service had a structured programme of quality improvement activity and routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care provided.
  • There was effective leadership, management and governance arrangements in place that assured the delivery of high quality care and treatment.

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

  • Seek assurances that appropriate risk assessments are in place at the sites managed by other providers.
  • Ensure that information about any relevant physical or mental health conditions is obtained for all newly appointed members of staff.
  • Consider recording that the cleanliness of rooms had been checked prior to each clinic.
  • Consider maintaining a log of significant events, which would assist the process of reviewing significant events over time for any trends.