Crown Clinic Limited

Updated 3 March 2022

Crown Clinic is operated by Crown Clinic Limited. The service was registered with us in September 2016 and is registered for surgical procedures and the treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The service provides hair transplant cosmetic surgery and platelet-rich plasma hair restoration therapy for private fee-paying adults. The service offers scalp, beard, sideburn, eyebrow and eyelash transplants. The Provider has also used the clinic to treat a patient whose treatment was funded and arranged through the provider’s involvement in charitable work. The patients to benefit from this charitable work include victims of burns and acid attacks and patients who have had cancer who cannot afford hair restoration treatment.

There are two main methods for hair transplants, this includes follicular unit extraction (FUE) where individual follicles are extracted from a donor site and implanted into the graft site. The alternative method is follicular unit transplantation (FUT) where a strip of scalp is removed from a donor site and sections implanted into the graft site. Crown Clinic provides both options dependent on the needs of patients.

There is currently no mandatory accredited qualification for hair transplant surgery in the United Kingdom. However, the surgical steps of the procedure should only be performed by a General Medical Council licenced doctor. The doctor who performed the hair transplant procedures at Crown Clinic was a licenced surgeon at the time of the inspection. The doctor was also the registered manager for the service and the director of Crown Clinic Limited.

The service employed a clinic manager and a patient coordinator. There were five hair transplant technicians and a theatre in charge (lead technician) who worked at the clinic on a self-employed basis.

We have not previously inspected this service. However, we monitored the service using our engagement and transitional monitoring approach. We did not receive any information of concern about the service prior to the inspection, and there were no serious incidents or safeguarding alerts.

The premises used to deliver the service is a leased suite within Global House near Manchester Airport. The building is set back off the road and has a secure car park area to the front. The Provider leases the whole ground floor of the building with only one foyer and two communal toilets not forming part of the clinic.

The clinic facilities are spread over several rooms which include:

• A large reception and waiting area
• Two large theatres for hair transplant surgery
• A platelet-rich plasma treatment room
• Sluice rooms
• Patient and staff toilets
• Patient rest rooms
• A staff kitchen
• A staff changing room
• A large storage room
• Several small storage rooms
• A large meeting room
• The clinic manager’s office
• The hair transplant surgeon’s office

The service also has a small photographic studio area adjoined to the hair transplant surgeon’s office. The area is used to take photos of patient’s hair before treatment and at follow up appointments.

Updated 3 March 2022

This is the first time we have inspected and rated the service. We rated it outstanding because:

• The service took a holistic approach to assessing, planning and delivering high quality care that met or exceeded best practice guidance. Staff completed specialist training, participated in learning and sharing best practice and supported the provider to pioneer the use of innovative treatments. Staff actively engaged in activities to monitor the effectiveness of treatment and improve outcomes for patients. The service performed highly when comparable benchmarking opportunities were available.
• Patients were truly respected and valued as individuals and were full partners in their care. There was a strong, visible person-centred culture. Staff were motivated to provide exceptional practical and emotional support to patients and their families. Feedback from people who used the service was exceptional.
• People’s individual needs and preferences were central to the delivery of tailored services. The service was flexible and provided patients with choice about continuity of care. The facilities and premises were excellent, and the design and layout of the clinic considered the needs of all patients. Leaders demonstrated a commitment to inclusivity.
• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with patients and the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• The service was not registered to receive patient safety alerts from the Central Alerting System (CAS). CAS alerts include safety information from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
• The service did not always record the exact type and dose of medicines they gave patients to take home.
• Some policies did not always reflect the activities of the service.

Updated 3 March 2022

We rated this service outstanding. See the summary above for details.