Sk:n Kent Bluewater

Updated 26 September 2022

Sk:n Kent Bluewater provides independent doctor-led dermatology services, offering skin treatments such as prescribing for acne and other skin conditions, and minor surgical procedures, including the excision of moles and other skin lesions. The service also provides non-regulated aesthetic treatments, for example, cosmetic Botox injections, dermal fillers and thread vein treatments, which are not within CQC scope of registration.

The Registered Provider is Lasercare Clinics (Harrogate) Limited, who provide services from more than 50 locations across England.

Sk:n Kent Bluewater is located at (Unit WVU03, Upper Floor, The Village) Bluewater Shopping Centre, Bluewater Parkway, Greenhithe, Kent, DA9 9ST.

The clinic opening times are:

• Monday – Thursday 11:00-20:00
• Friday 10:00-18:00
• Saturday 9:00-18:00
• Sunday 11:00-17:00

The staff team is comprised of a clinic manager, supported by aesthetic practitioners who all provide only non-regulated aesthetic treatments. Two doctors who specialise in dermatology, provide dermatology consultations and treatments on a sessional basis. Staff are supported by the provider’s regional and national management and governance teams.

The service is run from a single-floor premises within Bluewater Shopping Centre which is leased by the provider. The premises include a suite of consultation and treatment rooms, a reception and waiting area. Toilet facilities are accessible to patients with limited mobility

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?

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

Updated 26 September 2022

This service is rated as Good overall.

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 comprehensive inspection at Sk:n Kent Bluewater on 2 September 2022 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The inspection was planned to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This was the first rated inspection of the service.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our inspections differently.

The inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.

This included:

• Speaking with staff in person and on the telephone
• Requesting documentary evidence from the provider
• A site visit

This service provides independent doctor-led dermatology services, offering a mix of regulated skin treatments and minor surgical procedures, as well as other non-regulated aesthetic treatments.

This service is registered with CQC under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of some, but not all, of the services it provides. There are some exemptions from regulation by CQC which relate to particular types of regulated activities and services and these are set out in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Sk:n Kent Bluewater provides a range of non-surgical cosmetic interventions, for example dermal fillers and cosmetic Botox injections which are not within CQC scope of registration. Therefore, we did not inspect or report on these services.

The clinic manager is the registered manager. 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.

Our key findings were:

• There were safeguarding systems and processes to keep people safe
• There was an established process for sending samples for histology and receiving results for review.
• The service gave patients timely support and information and helped patients to be involved in care and treatment.
• The service used information about care and treatment to make improvements.
• Staff were consistent and proactive in empowering patients and supporting them to manage their own health.
• The provider understood the needs of their patients and improved services in response to those needs. Doctor-led dermatology services were provided according to patient need.
• Patients had timely access to initial assessment, test results, diagnosis and treatment.
• The provider had set out clear brand values
• There were suitable medicines and equipment to deal with medical emergencies. Risk assessments had been completed for any recommended medicines not stocked.
• The service monitored progress against delivery of the strategy. It carried out regular audits to assess the quality of care provided.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Continue to monitor staff immunisations in line with current guidance.
• Ensure all actions identified through risk assessments are completed.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

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