We carried out a review of the data available to us about Adsum Healthcare Limited on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Adsum Healthcare Limited, you can give feedback on this service.
This service is rated as Good overall.
The previous inspection was in October 2017.
The inspection report for the previous inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all services’ link for Adsum Healthcare Limited on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Since the October 2017 inspection, our inspection methodology has changed and therefore this is a rated inspection and the key questions are rated as:
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Adsum Healthcare Limited in Amersham, Buckinghamshire on 13 September 2019. This inspection was planned to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Adsum Healthcare Limited provides a range of pre-operative assessment and post-operative care for surgical procedures in vascular surgery and is registered with Care Quality Commission (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 and of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
Some of the services available at Adsum Healthcare Limited, for example cosmetic treatments, including radio frequency skin tightening for reduction in the appearance of wrinkles are exempt by law from CQC regulation. Therefore, we were only able to inspect the aspects related to consultations, examinations and treatments for vascular diseases and disorders. This included micro-sclerotherapy (for small varicose veins) and ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy (for large varicose veins) as part of this inspection.
The practice manager is the 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.
As part of our inspection we asked for CQC comment cards to be completed by patients prior to our inspection, we received nine completed comment cards which were all positive about the standard of care they received. The service was described as first-rate and professional, whilst staff were described as attentive, helpful and caring. Feedback also stated hey felt all the staff took an interest in them as a person and overall impression was one of wanting to help patients.
Our key findings were:
The area where the provider should make improvements is:
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Adsum Healthcare Limited based in Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire on 17 October 2017 to ask the service the following key questions.
Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found that this service was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found that this service was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found that this service was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found that this service was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found that this service was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background to Adsum Healthcare Limited
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether Adsum Healthcare Limited was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Adsum Healthcare Limited is based in Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire and provides a range of pre-operative assessment and post-operative care for surgical procedures in vascular surgery. The service also provides consultations, examinations and treatments for other vascular diseases and disorders. This includes micro-sclerotherapy (for small varicose veins) and ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy (for large varicose veins). Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure used to eliminate varicose veins and spider veins.
Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution (generally a salt solution) directly into the vein. In addition to the vascular procedures, Adsum Healthcare Limited also provide a variety of aesthetic cosmetic services, for example, radio frequency skin tightening for reduction in the appearance of wrinkles.
All services are provided from:
This service is registered with Care Quality Commission (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 service and these are set out in Schedule 2 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The aesthetic cosmetic treatments that are also provided are exempt by law from CQC regulation. Therefore we were only able to inspect the vascular service and not the aesthetic cosmetic services.
Adsum Healthcare Limited was formed in 2010 and moved to the premises, a converted residential dwelling in Old Amersham in 2011. The premises have been converted into three treatment rooms, an open plan reception area, a waiting area and a back office. All vascular services were located on the ground floor.
The vascular surgeon (with practising privileges) is also the owner of Adsum Healthcare Limited and is supported by two vascular nurses in the provision of all vascular procedures. A practice manager and medical secretary undertake the day to day management and running of the service.
The practice manager is the registered manager. (A registered manager is someone who has been selected by a provider to be legally responsible for managing regulated activity from a provider location).
The service was open between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday. When necessary, the service could stay open longer to accommodate patients’ needs. Out of regular clinic hours, an emergency telephone line and emergency enquiry email address was available to all patients. The telephone line was covered by the vascular surgeon. The emergency number was published on the website and included on all of the clinic’s post-procedure information leaflets. If patients called the day to day contact number out of hours there was a voice message diversion for emergencies.
As part of our inspection we asked for CQC comment cards to be completed by patients prior to our inspection. All of the 29 patient comment cards we received were positive about the service experienced. Patients said they felt the Adsum Healthcare Limited offered an excellent service and staff were efficient, helpful and caring. They said staff treated them with dignity and respect and the care they received exceeded their expectations. Patients stated they felt all the staff took an interest in them as a person and overall impression was one of wanting to help patients.
Following the inspection we spoke with four patients who had all recently used the vascular service. All four patients commented their experience had been excellent and aligned to the findings on the comment cards. All the patients we spoke with said they would recommend the service.
Our key findings were:
Chief Inspector of General Practice
The practice was clean and bright with comfortable seating in the reception area. All treatment rooms were in private areas to ensure confidentiality, privacy and dignity. A chaperone was available on request.
Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their written consent. People were informed of any associated risks and benefits with their treatment prior to their consent being sought. There were separate consent policies for each different procedure. Written consent was scanned into personal records.
We heard the receptionist speak to people in a courteous manner, and noted that people were given a choice of appointments to suit their preferences. Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare.
People who use the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the staff had been appropriately trained, and were aware of their safeguarding responsibilities.
There were effective recruitment and selection processes. The staff recruitment policy ensured that people were looked after by qualified and trained practitioners.
There was a system to monitor the quality of service provided, and we saw that changes had been made as a result of quality audits. People who use the service, their representatives and staff were asked for their views about their care and treatment and they were acted on.