A woman who failed to register her slimming clinic with the Care Quality Commission as required by law has been fined £5,000 by magistrates in Hertfordshire.
CQC brought the case against Ms Pamela Martin for carrying on a regulated activity at Hertford Slimming Clinic without being registered.
It is an offence under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to carry out a regulated activity – in this case, running a slimming clinic - without being registering with CQC.
At Stevenage Magistrates Court on Friday (20 March) Ms Martin pleaded guilty to a charge of operating a slimming clinic without being registered, in breach of the Health and Social Care Act. She was fined £5000, and ordered to pay costs of £5699 incurred by CQC in bringing the prosecution.
The court was told that inspectors who visited the clinic in St Andrew Street, Hertford were concerned about the manner in which the service was managed. The health and welfare of people were being put at unacceptable risk through the poor procedures of prescribing, dispensing and supplying of the controlled medication used in weight loss and management.
A visiting doctor held clinics once a month, but at other times there was no authorised person in charge of the drugs.
As a result of CQC's inspection 4,300 tablets were seized and handed over to the police. A doctor has been referred to the General Medical Council.
Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of General Practice, said:
"Registration with the Care Quality Commission is required by law to protect people who receive treatment in slimming clinics where they are prescribing medication to help people control their weight.
"The law says that only certain people can authorise the supply of such medication and that slimming clinics must be registered with the CQC. We will not hesitate to take legal action where slimming clinics are found to be operating without registration.
“Any doctors found to be working in unregistered providers will be referred to their professional regulatory body, the General Medical Council. This is a serious warning to protect patients.”
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