The Care Quality Commission
  • Hospital
  • Independent hospital

Optimax Laser Eye Clinics - Birmingham

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

96 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 7XJ (0121) 440 0976

Provided and run by:
Optimax Clinics Limited

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Optimax Laser Eye Clinics - Birmingham on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Optimax Laser Eye Clinics - Birmingham, you can give feedback on this service.

24 January 2023, 11 February 2023

During a routine inspection

We have not previously rated this service. We rated it as good because:

  • The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
  • Staff provided good care and treatment and gave pain relief when they needed it. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information. Key services were available 7 days a week.
  • Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
  • The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of patients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.
  • Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with patients to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

  • There were considerable challenges in the upkeep of the environment and the service was awaiting the outcome of a planning application for improvements to the listed building.
  • Some common areas and examination rooms were fitted with carpets, which was not in line with Department of Health and Social Care guidance.
  • Infection prevention and control standards were not always in line with national standards.
  • The management of sharps did not fully meet national standards.
  • There were risks to fire safety that had not been identified by the provider’s audit programme.

25 May 2018

During a routine inspection

Optimax Laser Eye Clinics Birmingham is operated by Optimax Clinics Limited. Facilities were available on one level. Facilities included a reception/waiting room, a topography room where the service also prepared patients for treatment, three consultation rooms that the service used as recovery rooms on treatment days, the doctors’ room where some treatments were also carried out and the treatment/operating room with the dirty utility room to the rear of this.

Patients were self-referring and self-funded and had visual problems caused by cataract or visual acuity deteriorating over time (failing eyesight). Visual acuity deterioration is not classed as a medical condition so is not treated by the NHS.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the inspection on 25 May 2018.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs, and well-led? Where we have a legal duty to do so we rate services’ performance against each key question as outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.

Throughout the inspection, we took account of what people told us and how the service understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

8 January 2014

During a routine inspection

During our visit we spoke with three people who were patients at the clinic, the manager and three members of staff. People were given all the information they needed to make an informed decision about their treatment, and were asked to sign to indicate their consent to such treatment. People were positive about the treatment they received at the clinic. One person told us, 'I've had excellent treatment.'

People told us the clinic was clean, comfortable and welcoming. We found the building was appropriately designed and laid out to ensure accessibility, comfort and dignity. All areas were clean, well maintained, bright and welcoming. Records confirmed that regular safety checks, servicing and maintenance were carried out.

Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff commenced work at the clinic. This ensured people were cared for by suitably qualified and experienced staff.

The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of service provision through surveys and audits. The complaints procedure was well publicised, although the information provided to people using the service was incomplete and misleading in respect of the role of CQC. People told us that they felt able to bring a concern or complaint to the direct attention of the clinic, should the situation arise.

13 November 2012

During a routine inspection

During our visit we spoke with six people who were patients at the clinic, the manager and five members of staff.

We found that people were treated with dignity and respect and usually received care that met their needs. We found that patient consultations took place in private with enough time allocated for their appointment to ensure they had opportunity to have their treatment needs fully assessed. Five of the six people we spoke with were very satisfied with the service they had received. One person was unhappy that their treatment had not gone ahead as planned but they told us they were happy with the action taken by staff at the clinic to resolve this.

Records confirmed that the majority of staff had attended safeguarding of vulnerable adults training. This enabled staff to understand the aspects of safeguarding which were relevant to them.

We found that staff received an induction, training and appraisals. We also found that the provider took steps to assess the quality of the service being provided.