Optimax Laser Eye Clinics - Leicester

Updated 8 May 2023

Optimax Laser Eye Clinics - Leicester is operated by Optimax Clinics Limited. The service provides laser vision correction treatment and intra ocular surgery for the treatment of cataracts under topical anaesthetic to adults over the age of 18.

For laser correction surgery, patients are self-referring and self-funding as visual acuity deterioration is not classed as a medical condition and so is not treated by the NHS. The service offers lens surgery, including for cataracts and glaucoma, to private patients. The service provides cataract surgery services to NHS patients under a new contract with local trusts.

The service registered with us in January 2011 and is part of the Optimax Clinics Limited, which was established in 1991.

The service is registered to provide the following regulated activities:

• Surgical procedures
• Treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• Diagnostic and screening procedures

Clinical services are delivered from dedicated premises located in a shared building in Leicester city centre. It is easily accessible by road and public transport. There is a registered manager in post.

We last inspected this service in September 2017. At that time, we did not have a duty to rate and instead produced a narrative report. We issued a Requirement Notice for a regulatory breach along with 13 areas the service needed to improve. At this inspection we found the team had fully addressed all of these.

Updated 8 May 2023

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, gave patients enough to eat and drink, and gave them 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.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of 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 and the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• Ventilation extraction fans in the treatment room were dirty and had not been included in infection prevention and control procedures.
• Management of sharps was not in line with national requirements.

Updated 8 May 2023

We have not previously rated this service. We rated it as good because it was safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well led.