Doncaster cosmetics clinic rated 'Inadequate' after recording patients without consent
Regulators also found major fire safety failings at Elements Medical
A medical service in Doncaster that offers weight loss, filler and botox treatments has been rated 'Inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission.
Elements Medical was criticised by the CQC for major safeguarding failings, including recording patients without their consent.
They were also found to have been importing some medicines from Turkey despite lacking a licence to do so.
Alan Stephenson, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said:
“When we inspected Elements Medical, we had serious concerns about the safety of the service and how it was being managed, to ensure people were getting the service and treatment they deserve."
"We identified widespread shortfalls including people’s understanding of procedures and their consent to them, and how the service kept people safe from abuse.
“Staff lacked basic knowledge of safeguarding procedures, including how to report concerns, and the service secretly filmed people during treatment without consent.
“We identified serious fire safety risks - the service stored all fire extinguishers in an inaccessible top floor room, failed to provide safe escape routes, and hadn't serviced the fire alarm since 2021. This put people at risk if there was a fire.
“We also had concerns about how medicines were managed as some of the medicines staff prescribed were unlicensed and aren’t currently recommended for people.
"Staff told us some medicine had been imported from Turkey, however the service didn’t have a licence to import medicines from this country, and Turkey isn’t an approved country for supplying medicines for use in England."
In a statement, Sandy Green from Elements Medical wrote: "On behalf of everyone at Elements Medical Ltd, I want to sincerely apologise for the shortcomings identified and reassure all our clients - past, present, and future - of our unwavering commitment to patient care, safety, and the continuous improvement of the services we provide."
"We fully accept the findings of the CQC report. The feedback has been both sobering and instructive, and we are resolute in our determination to learn from it. Since the inspection, we have undertaken extensive work to address each concern raised, instructing external professionals and implementing rigorous changes across all aspects of our operations.
"These actions are designed to embed sustainable improvements swiftly and effectively, reflecting our commitment to ensure that similar issues never occur again.
"We respect the critical role the CQC plays in upholding high standards across healthcare providers, and we are committed to working collaboratively with them to provide a safe and compliant environment for both service users and staff.
"Their guidance is invaluable, and we welcome their continued support in helping us enhance and maintain our standards.
"This is a defining moment for us as an organisation, and we are determined to rebuild the trust of our clients by demonstrating meaningful change.
"We sincerely thank our patients for their understanding as we move forward on this journey of reflection, growth, and transformation."
You can read a full statement from Elements here.