Oxford medical centre rated 'requires improvement' by CQC

Stratum Clinic at 38 Park End Street was rated ‘requires improvement' - the second lowest rating possible- by the Care Quality Commission.

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

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Stratum Clinic provides consultations and dermatological treatments for a variety of conditions including surgery for the treatment of skin cancers. 

The service cares for around 5,000 patients a year and this was the first inspection of the clinic since 2014.

It was found at the inspection on March 28 that the clinic did not always operate effective processes to ensure that it provided safe care.

Adrenaline at the clinic was out of date and concerns were raised that it would not be effective in a medical emergency.

Stratum Clinic. Picture: Google Maps (Image: Google Maps)

The inspector wrote in the report: “Staff informed us adrenaline to be used in the case of an allergic reaction was out of date as the provider could not source a replacement.

“We completed checks and found it had expired in May 2022. No alternative form of adrenaline had been sourced.

“There was a risk that the current stock of adrenaline would not be effective if required in a medical emergency.”

According to the report, the inspectors also found that there was no monitoring or adequate audit of patient care at Stratum Clinic.

The report read: “There were no systems to effectively monitor patient care and the individual performance of consultants undertaking surgery.

“We looked at a Mohs (a surgery for the treatment skin cancer) audit.

“The audit had no objectives and identified no areas of good practice or improvements to care.

“There was no audit on anti-biotic or other prescribing.”

It was also found that there was insufficient monitoring of clinicians’ training and their individual work and that some clinicians did not have full pre-employment checks.

But several positive areas were also identified at the inspection.

The inspectors found that care was assessed and delivered on an individual basis and that national guidance was considered by clinicians.

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Additionally, there were arrangements to ensure that consent was sought and that patients were fully informed about their care options.

Reasonable adjustments were made to protect people’s privacy, dignity and enable access to the service where they had specific requirements.

After the inspection the Care Quality Commission offered advice which Stratum Clinic must abide by.

Inspectors stated: "Operate systems and processes to ensure services are monitored, safe and effective as part of a system of good governance.

"Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients"