Dr To You

Updated 14 December 2021

The provider, Dr To You Ltd, was registered by the CQC in August 2021 to provide the regulated activity Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The provider is a registered company with two directors. Its registered company office address is 63-66 Hatton Garden, Suite 23, 5th Floor, London, England, EC1N 8LE. The address is also the service location for the CQC registration. However, the service operates entirely online.

One of the provider’s directors is a doctor, registered by the General Medical Council (GMC) and on its GP Register. They are the registered manager for the purposes of the CQC registration. 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 over how the service is operated.

The service provides online access to a general practitioner, using a video conferencing system. Service users can access the system by computer or smartphone. Under arrangements with a third-party laboratory, service users can book a wide range of blood tests, although GP consultations are recommended beforehand, together with radiology appointments with third-party providers. The service also provides travel health advice. The service is only available to adults, of over-18 years of age.

Consultations are available throughout the week during the following hours –

Monday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Tuesday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Thursday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Friday 10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Saturday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Sunday 10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Details of the service are set out on the website - www.drtoyou.co.uk

Currently the registered manager is the only clinician working in the service and providing the online consultations. They have previous experience of working in online services. The provider has plans to recruit clinicians as the business develops.

How we inspected this service

Before the inspection we gathered and reviewed information from the provider. During inspection, we interviewed the registered manager using online conferencing. We also reviewed the records of all the service user consultations to date.

To get to the heart of people’s experiences of care and treatment, we 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 14 December 2021

We rated this service 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 of Dr To You (the service) on 30 November 2021 as part of our inspection programme. It was the first inspection of the service, which was registered by the CQC in August 2021. This was in accordance with our published process to inspect online services soon after registration.

The service is operated by Dr To You Ltd (the provider), offering online video consultations with a general practitioner. In addition, the service provides access to a wide range of laboratory blood tests and radiology appointments under contracted arrangements with third-party service providers.

Details of the service can be found on its website –

www.drtoyou.co.uk

At this inspection we found:

• The service had good systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When they did happen, the provider learned from them and improved their processes.
• The service routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence-based guidelines.
• Service users were treated with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• People could access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• The registered manager should undertake level 4 safeguarding training, appropriate for their role as safeguarding lead for the service.
• Information regarding the complaints process should be added to the service website.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care