The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: MASTA Travel Clinic - Leeds

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

STA Leeds (Vicar Lane), 88 Vicar Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 7JH 0330 100 4131

Provided and run by:
MASTA Limited

All Inspections

20/06/2019

During a routine inspection

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.

MASTA Travel Clinic Leeds provides pre-travel assessments, travel vaccinations and travel health advice. In addition, the service holds a licence to administer yellow fever vaccines. All services incur a consultation charge to the client. Treatment and intervention charges vary, dependent upon what is provided.

This service is registered with the 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 general exemptions from regulation by CQC which relate to particular types of service and these are set out in of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The provider has contracts in place with several large public sector organisations, where occupational health vaccinations and blood testing for immunity status are provided to the employees of those companies. These types of arrangements are exempt by law from CQC regulation. Therefore, they did not fall into the scope of our inspection.

The regional area manager (who is also the lead travel health advisor at Leeds) is the registered manager. 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.

On the day of inspection, we had received 17 completed CQC comment cards, 16 of which were overwhelmingly positive. They described the service as being very good and efficient and staff as being professional, friendly, caring and informative. There was one negative comment relating to there being no toilets available for clients on the premises.

During the inspection we reviewed a range of systems and processes relating to governance, service delivery and customer care.

Our key findings were:

  • There were clear systems in place to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the provider learned from them and improved their processes across all their clinic locations.
  • The effectiveness and appropriateness of care provided by the service, was routinely reviewed. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence based guidance and up-to-date travel health information and advice.
  • Clients received a personalised travel plan, known as a travel health brief, which contained a risk assessment, health information, including any additional health risks relating to their destinations, and an immunisation plan specific to them.
  • Staff involved clients in decisions about their care and treatment. They treated clients with kindness, compassion, dignity and respect.
  • There was a leadership and managerial structure in place with clear responsibilities, roles and accountability to support good governance.
  • The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour.
  • Staff were aware of their own roles and responsibilities. They said they felt supported by leaders and managers who were accessible when appropriate.
  • Policies and procedures were up to date and had been reviewed in line with the most recent best practice guidance.
  • MASTA had introduced a revised policy, across all their locations, regarding the identification of children and parental responsibility.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Continue to liaise with the landlord of the premises to ensure the cleanliness of shared areas and maintenance of the building is fit for purpose. (However, it is noted MASTA does not have a direct responsibility for these issues.)
  • Improve signage within the travel store to direct clients to the MASTA clinic.

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

11 October 2017

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 11 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

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 head office for the provider MASTA Limited (Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad is based in Leeds. They have many pharmacy and nurse-led travel clinics located throughout the United Kingdom.

For this inspection we visited the location at MASTA Travel Clinic Leeds, based with the STA travel store, 88 Vicar Lane, Leeds LS1 7JH. It is situated within Leeds city centre and has good access to public transport and road links. There are no car parking facilities onsite, however there are pay for parking facilities within a five minute walk. Opening hours of the MASTA clinic are 10am to 6pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday opening hours are 11am to 7pm.

MASTA Travel Clinic Leeds is located on the lower ground floor of the travel store. There are stairs leading down to a waiting area and two consulting rooms. Patients with mobility problems are advised there is no lift access and may be referred to an alternative location. In addition there are no toilet facilities for clients. This is identified on the website and also upon making an appointment. However, there is a toilet and kitchen area available to MASTA staff, which is shared with the travel store staff.

MASTA Travel Clinic Leeds provides pre-travel assessments, travel vaccinations and travel health advice. All services incur a consultation charge to the client. Treatment and intervention charges vary, dependent upon what is provided. The clinic is also a registered Yellow Fever vaccination centre. The service has contracts in place with several large public and private sector organisations, where occupational health vaccinations and blood testing for immunity status are provided to the employees of those companies.

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. Those occupational health related services provided to clients under a contractual arrangement through their employer or government department are exempt by law from CQC regulation. Therefore, they did not fall into the scope of our inspection.

The clinical team consists of a senior specialist travel health nurse, who works four days per week. They are supported by three other specialist travel health nurses who work one day per week and one who works one day per fortnight. All clinicians are female. There are no administration/reception staff based at the location. The clinicians are supported by a range of departmental staff who are based at the head office in Leeds. This includes access to the medical lead, clinical manager and pharmacy staff.

The senior specialist travel health nurse is the registered manager. 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.

Our key findings were:

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety.
  • There was analysis of reported incidents and complaints which supported improvements in service delivery and customer satisfaction.
  • Governance and risk management processes were comprehensive and supported the delivery of quality care. All staff had access to policies.
  • There was an infection prevention and control policy and procedures were in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. Comprehensive cleaning checklists were completed on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
  • Vaccines, medicines and emergency equipment were safely managed. There were clear auditable trails relating to stock control. There had not been a risk assessment in place to support the lack of a defibrillator on site. However, this was provided to us within two working days post-inspection.
  • Staff had the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to deliver the care and treatment offered by the service.
  • Consultations were comprehensive and undertaken in a professional manner.
  • The service encouraged and valued feedback from patients and staff.
  • There was a clear leadership structure. Members of the management and clinical teams were accessible and supportive.

There were areas where the provider should make improvements:

  • Reassure themselves that standards of cleanliness are maintained in those areas where the service does not have direct responsibility. These are areas MASTA staff have access to and could potentially have an impact in relation to infection prevention and control.
  • Improve signage within the travel store to the MASTA clinic to support client access

21 November 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service. We also looked at surveys, completed by people who used the service.

People said they were happy with the quality of care and treatment offered by the clinic. People said they were fully involved in decisions about their treatments and felt they got good clear explanations. Comments included:

'Very good advice, everything explained and levels of risk set out.'

'A great service, will definitely use again.'

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage them.

The provider had taken steps to provide care in an environment that was suitably designed and adequately maintained. However, the clinic was accessed by stairs, therefore did not have access for people with a mobility disability.

People who used the service were very complimentary about the staff and their skills. Their comments included:

'Staff had very good knowledge on the risks in the areas I am visiting, felt very reassured.'

'They answered all my questions very competently.'

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people receive.