Archived: Clean Ear Clinic Southampton

Updated 2 November 2018

The provider Southern ENT Limited trades as the Clean Ear Clinic and has several locations along the south coast providing a private ear cleaning service.

The Clean Ear Clinic Southampton is a small doctor led ear cleaning service using micro suction. Micro suction involves looking down the ear canal with a microscope, which allows a direct view of the area being cleaned. The practitioner is then able to clean out the blockage quickly and effectively using a tiny vacuum cleaner. Once the wax has gone they are able to check the clients ear for any other problems.

The Clean Ear Clinic Southampton is located at:

Marlands Shopping Centre,

Unit 56,

First Floor,

Civic Centre Road,

Southampton

SO14 7SJ

The core opening hours for the service are Monday to Friday 8.30am-6pm, Saturday 9am-4pm. Treatments are by appointment only. Ear cleaning appointments are available at short notice. Appointment slots are 20 minutes in length.

The staff team at the service consists of a doctor who is also the registered manager. The service also employs a lead ear, nose and throat nurse and an audiologist who were supported by a practice manager. Between them they cover the six-day service offered.

We carried an announced comprehensive inspection at the Clean Ear Clinic Southampton on 28 August 2018. Our inspection team was led by a CQC Lead inspector. The inspection team included a GP Specialist Advisor.

Prior to the inspection, we reviewed a range of information we hold about the service, such as any notifications received, and the information provided from the pre-inspection information request.

During our visit:

• We spoke with the Practice manager.
• After the visit we able to speak with registered manager, the senior doctor and two members of the service’s team.
• We looked at equipment and rooms used for providing treatment.
• We reviewed records and documents.

To get to the heart of clients’ 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 2 November 2018

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 28 August 2018 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.

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 the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

The services are provided to adults privately and are not commissioned by the NHS.

The service is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of the services it provides. The Clean Ear Clinic Southampton is registered with CQC to provide the regulated activities of treatment of disease, disorder or injury. The types of services provided are doctor’s consultation service and doctor’s treatment service.

At the time of our inspection a registered manager was in place. 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.

We received 12 completed CQC comment cards from clients who used the service. Feedback was positive about the service delivered at the service.

We were unable to speak with clients about their experience of the service they received. This was because, on the day of our visit, no one was receiving treatment regulated by us. We were told a small number of clients attended for registered treatments each year.

Our key findings were:

• Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure

people's safety and welfare.

• The treatment room was well-organised and well-equipped.
• Clinicians regularly assessed clients according to appropriate guidance and standards, such as those issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
• Staff were up to date with current guidelines and were led by a proactive management team.
• Staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of clients.
• There were effective systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly.
• The provider was aware of, and complied with, the requirements of the Duty of Candour.
• The provider had an effective system for ensuring the identity of clients who attended the service.
• Risks to clients were well-managed. For example, there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.
• Clients were provided with information about their health and received advice and guidance to support them to live healthier lives.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Systems and risk assessments were in place to deal with medical emergencies and staff were trained in basic life support.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review chaperone training for staff.
• Update local contact list on Safeguarding process.
• Review systems for undertaking staff appraisals.
• Update the Safeguarding policy with the relevant contact details for local safeguarding support and advice.