Define Medical

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 Define Medical on 30 May 2022. The service was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in May 2019. We carried out this first rated inspection as part of our regulatory functions. The inspection was undertaken to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

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.

Define Medical provides a range of independent dermatology services, including non-surgical cosmetic interventions, which are not within CQC scope of registration. We did not inspect, or report on, those services that are outside the scope of registration.

Define Medical is registered with the CQC to provide the following regulated activities:

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury

Therefore, we only inspected treatments relating to medical conditions which include treatment for excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) and non-surgical treatments for a range of skin conditions.

The service was founded in 2019 by a cosmetic surgeon who is also the medical director and CQC registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the CQC 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:

• The service had clear systems to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse. The service used recognised screening processes to identify patients who could be at risk of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) or dysmorphophobia, a preoccupation with an imagined defect in one’s physical appearance.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs. The way in which care was delivered was reviewed to ensure it was delivered according to best practice guidance. Staff were well supported to update their knowledge through training.
• Patients were provided with information about their health and with advice and guidance to support them to live healthier lives.
• Feedback from patients was consistently positive, feedback highlighted a strong person-centred culture. Staff respected patients’ privacy and dignity and adapted the service to strengthen existing privacy systems.
• Patients had timely access to services. Patients interested in commencing treatment were given relevant information and booked their consultations as part of a planned programme. Feedback from patients was positive with regards to booking appointments and access to treatment.
• The service had a culture of high-quality care and put their patients first before financial gain. The service focused on the needs of their patients, in turn, patient satisfaction from various sources was positive.

The service should:

• Formalise the recording of identity checks on patients’ clinical record.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care