Dr Sandeep Bolia Private Medical Services

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

We looked for evidence that patients were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

At our last assessment, this key question was unrated. At this assessment, the rating is good.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

There was a system to record and investigate complaints, and when things went wrong, staff apologised and gave patients support. Learning from incidents and complaints resulted in changes that improved care for others.

The service worked with patients and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when patients moved between different services.

There were systems in place for processing information relating to new patients. The service worked with other providers to deliver shared care and when patients moved between services. Referrals and test results were managed in a timely way.

The service worked with patients and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They concentrated on improving patients’ lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The service shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

Safeguarding policies were in place and known to staff, who were appropriately trained in safeguarding procedures for both children and vulnerable adults.

The service worked with patients to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. They provided care to meet patients’ needs that was safe, supportive and enabled patients to do the things that mattered to them.

Emergency equipment was available and maintained. Patients were advised on risks related to their condition and actions to take if their condition deteriorated.

The service made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. As the service was home visiting and call-based consulting only, there were no clinical premises. The service had risk assessments in place for undertaking home visits.

The service had one member of staff only, who was the lead clinician and provider. We found training was up to date, and that the sole member of staff was working within their agreed areas of competence. The provider detailed clear recruitment processes in the event that further staff were needed.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. As the service did not have a clinical premises, specific location-based risk assessments and cleaning schedules were not required.

The service made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met patients’ needs, capacities and preferences. They involved patients in planning, including when changes happened.

Staff involved patients in reviews of their medicines and helped them understand how to manage their medicines safely. Patients knew what to do and who to contact if their condition did not improve or they experienced any unexpected symptoms. Staff managed prescription stationery appropriately and securely. Staff followed protocols to ensure they prescribed all medicines safely, and ensured patients received all recommended medicines reviews and monitoring. The provider had effective systems to manage and respond to safety alerts. Staff took steps to ensure they prescribed medicines appropriately to optimise care outcomes, including antibiotics.