The GP Service (UK) Ltd

Updated 12 August 2019

The GP Service (UK) Limited launched its online service in February 2017. It was previously based in central London. The service has been registered at the current location in Coventry since July 2018.

Patients from anywhere in the UK can consult with GPs via online assessment questionnaires and through secure video calling. The operating model of the service enables any medicines prescribed following consultations, to be available for collection through independent pharmacies signed up to the GP Service (UK) Limited scheme, or a pharmacy of the patient’s choice if they prefer.

We inspected The GP Service (UK) Limited at the following address from where the provider is registered to provide services:

The Technocentre, Coventry University, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1 2TT

The service is led by a chief executive officer (CEO) and supported by a leadership team of four, which includes medical, technological and sales expertise. There are six GPs who carry out the online consultations remotely.

A registered manager is in place. 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.

How we inspected this service

Before the inspection we gathered and reviewed information from the provider. During this inspection we spoke with the registered manager and members of the management and administration team.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we 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 12 August 2019

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We rated this service as Good overall. This provider was previously inspected on 22 February 2018, but they were based at a different location. They have since re-registered with the CQC. This provider has not been rated before this inspection.

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 inspection at The GP Service (UK) Limited on 12 June 2019 as part of our inspection programme. The GP Service (UK) Limited is an online provider. Patients are able to consult with a qualified General Medical Council registered GP via online assessment questionnaires or through secure video calling.  Medicines can then be sent to the pharmacy of their choice for dispensing.There are a number of pharmacies which are signed up as affiliated pharmacies with The GP Service (UK) Limited.

At this inspection we found:

• The service had effective systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When they did happen, the service learned from them and improved their processes.
• The service routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• Staff involved and treated people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients could access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care