A Wirral-based centre for specialist community dermatology, minor surgery and ENT (Ears, nose and throat) services for adults has recently been rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
As part of a long-term partnership with NHS England, patients are referred by their usual GP to the expert service which is provided by Peninsula Health LLP from both Gateway House in Bromborough and St. George’s Medical Centre in New Brighton.
Sarah Lunt, Head of Service said, “Our mission is to provide patients in Wirral with high quality, easy and convenient access to dermatology and ENT specialists.
“One of our key aims is to improve patient access both in terms of speed of appointment and accessibility of location, so it was wonderful to see that the report recognised our ability to give patients timely access to the care they need. Our teams work incredibly hard to provide a welcoming service in a primary care setting, using experienced professionals, and we are pleased that their efforts have been recognised with this ‘good’ rating.”
The thorough inspection included a review of information about the service, such as its latest statement of purpose and details of staff working within the service, including their qualifications and proof of registration with their professional bodies. Inspectors also reviewed patient feedback and spoke with both clinical and non-clinical staff at all levels.
In particular, the report highlighted the staff’s knowledge and understanding of their collective and individual responsibilities to delivering a safe and caring service. It also recognised strong partnership working, stating that ‘staff worked together, and worked well with other organisations, to deliver effective care and treatment’.
Inspectors also praised the service’s consistent and proactive approach to empowering and supporting patients to manage their own health through timely self-care advice and guidance. Feedback from patients was reported as ‘very positive’ with staff seen as being understanding and non-judgemental, with an ability to communicate clearly with all patients. This is the first time that the service has been inspected by the CQC since moving to its current location in 2021.
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