Archived: Medicspot HQ

Updated 27 February 2018

MedicSpot is a new service which functions as an online video-linked GP service. The GPs work remotely providing pre-booked video consultations with patients who are based in a private clinical station in their selected pharmacy. MedicSpot use online technology to enable patients to book a consultation with a GP at one of the participating pharmacies throughout the country. The video consultation allows the doctor to see and speak to the patient via a video link at the pharmacy clinical station and the equipment provided allows the patient to perform specific observations including pulse rate, blood pressure and temperature.

Clinical stations comprise a computer and an equipment tower which includes a blood pressure machine and cuff; a stethoscope (to listen to heart and lungs); a flexible medicam (to look into the throat and ears); a pulseoximeter (to measure oxygen levels and pulse rate) and a thermometer. Instruction is provided on how to use the equipment and the patient informs the GP of the readings taken.

The service is operated by the CEO (chief executive officer) who is also 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). The CEO is supported by the Medical Director who shares responsibility for the operational and clinical management of the service. Both the CEO and Medical Director are GPs.

The service employs four members of staff, three GPs and one administrator all of whom work remotely.

Consultations can be booked between 9am and 6pm daily dependent on the opening times of individual pharmacies and the availability of GP appointments. Access via the website to book a consultation is available 24 hours a day.

How we inspected this service

Our inspection team was led by a CQC Lead Inspector accompanied by a GP Specialist Adviser and a member of the CQC medicines team.

Before visiting, we reviewed a range of information we hold about the service and asked other organisations to share what they knew.

During our visit we:

• Spoke with the CEO, Medical Director, GPs and participating pharmacists.
• Reviewed organisational documents.
• Reviewed patient consultation records.

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.

Why we inspected this service

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.

Updated 27 February 2018

Letter from Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Medicspot HQ (known as MedicSpot) on 30 November 2017.

Medicspot is a new service operating from the website: www.medicspot.co.uk. The service functions as an online GP practice providing pre-booked video consultations with patients in clinical stations based in pharmacies.

We found this service provided safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Our findings in relation to the key questions were as follows:

Are services safe? – we found the service was providing a safe service in accordance with the relevant regulations. Specifically:

• Arrangements were in place to safeguard people, including arrangements to check patient identity.
• Prescribing was in line with national guidance, and people were told about the risks associated with any medicines used outside of their licence.
• Suitable numbers of staff were employed and appropriately recruited.
• Risks were assessed and action taken to mitigate any risks identified.

Are services effective? - we found the service was providing an effective service in accordance with the relevant regulations. Specifically:

• Following patient consultations, if they consented, information was appropriately shared with a patient’s own GP in line with GMC guidance.
• Quality improvement activity, including clinical audit, took place.
• Staff received the appropriate training to carry out their role.

Are services caring? – we found the service was providing a caring service in accordance with the relevant regulations. Specifically:

• The provider carried out checks to ensure consultations by GPs met the expected service standards.
• Patient feedback reflected they found the service treated them with dignity and respect.
• Patients had access to information about GPs working at the service.

Are services responsive? - we found the service was providing a responsive service in accordance with the relevant regulations. Specifically:

• Information about how to access the service was clear and the service was available 7 days a week.
• The provider did not discriminate against any client group.
• Information about how to complain was available and complaints were handled appropriately.

Are services well-led? - we found the service was providing a well-led service in accordance with the relevant regulations. Specifically:

• The service had clear leadership and governance structures
• A range of information was used to monitor and improve the quality and performance of the service.
• Patient information was stored securely.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice