Archived: Addlestone Health Centre Also known as Specialist Eyecare UK Ltd

We did not speak to patients' about the recruitment and selection of staff. We did however, look at four of the staff records and we spoke with two of the staff. We found the provider carried out appropriate checks on staff to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. The practice had appropriate recruitment and selection processes in place. Staff files contained all the information required by regulation and schedule.

At our last inspection on 18 February 2014, we found that the service was not adequately maintaining the confidentiality of patient's records. Archived files were being stored at that time, behind the health centre's reception desk. This meant that the records were not secure and the provider was not adequately maintaining the confidentiality of patients' personal care records. Since then, the provider had built a separate locked office in which all patients' records were stored securely. All archived and current records were stored in a purpose built room accessible only to the clinic's staff.

Patients told us that they were generally treated professionally and with courtesy although a patient told us that one member of staff 'could have been more patient with me'. They were well informed about their treatment and received care that was appropriate to their needs. The facilities were suitable for the services provided.

However, we were not satisfied that the provider had adequate policies and procedures in place to demonstrate that staff were suitably qualified and fit to carry out their roles.

The provider did not have sufficient procedures in place to manage the safe and secure storage of patient records and we were concerned to note that some patient records were not securely stored.