London Dermatology Centre

Updated 21 February 2023

London Dermatology Centre is an independent provider of medical services. The service provides a range of dermatological and aesthetic services which are within the scope of CQC regulation. It also provides a number of aesthetic procedures that are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This report references only those services that are regulated by CQC.

London Dermatology Centre is based at 69 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 8AS, in the London borough of Westminster. The service is for private fee-paying patients only, the service does not see NHS patients.

The provider is registered with the CQC to deliver the regulated activities of surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The provider primarily provides services to patients within the borough of Westminster, and other areas of London. However, the service also sees patients from other areas of the United Kingdom and from other countries. The service is self-contained within a single premises, with all patients checking in at reception. The service has a three consulting rooms and a treatment room.

The service operates on Monday to Thursday from 9:30am until 8pm, and from 9:30am until 5:30pm on Fridays. Administrative staff also take calls from patients from 9:30am until 1:30pm on Saturdays. The service does not formally provide a service outside of these hours. Regulated clinical activities at the site are carried out primarily by two consultant dermatologists, one of the dermatologists is both the lead clinician and service manager. The service employs a deputy service manager and a team of four reception and other administrative staff who oversee appointments and administration for all service users and patients.

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?

There questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 21 February 2023

The service had previously been inspected on 30 June 2022. That inspection rated the service as inadequate overall, and in the safe and well led key questions. Effective was rated as requires improvement and caring and responsive were rated as good. The service was found to be in breach of regulations 12, 17 and 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2007, and warning notices were issued.

The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for London Dermatology Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of London Dermatology Centre on 24 January 2023. We found that all of the breaches of regulation from the previous inspection had been addressed. Following 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

Our key findings were:

• The service provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• The service organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The way the service was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

I am taking this service out of special measures. This recognises the significant improvements that have been made to the quality of care provided by this service.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services