By James Simons
A private slimming clinic has been rated ‘inadequate’ by a national watchdog that inspects and regulates social care services. found prescribing unlicensed weight loss medicines.
Kings Private Clinic in High Road, Ilford, was condemned by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after they discovered unlicensed weight loss medicines being prescribed.
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The clinic provides weight loss services, including prescribing medicines and dietary advice to support weight reduction for people aged between 18 – 65. The Private Clinic claims to be staffed by time served professional doctors for weight loss and additional professional staff.
The clinic also claimed that its fat loss doctors currently hold top level positions within the NHS as well helping patients just like you to effectively lose weight and stay healthy whilst doing so”, the clinic claims to its clients.
The report, published on November 22 rated the clinic ‘inadequate’ overall, including in two of five inspection criteria: effectiveness and leadership. Itv was also rated as ‘requires improvement’ in two further inspection criteria which arew safety and responsiveness. It was criticised for prescribing unlicensed weight loss medicines.
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RISK
CQC inspectors said: “Treating patients with unlicensed medicines is higher risk than treating patients with licensed medicines, because unlicensed medicines may not have been assessed for safety, quality and efficacy.”
The medicines prescribed by the clinic are no longer recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence or the Royal College of Physicians for the treatment of obesity, inspectors said.
Inspectors added: “The British National Formulary states ‘drug treatment should never be used as the sole element of treatment for obesity and should be used as part of an overall weight management plan’”.
The clinic was also exposed for hiring staff who lacked the “skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles”. Leadership structures were also criticised for lacking “clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability”.
Although inspectors received positive feedback from patients about the way staff treated people, this had no bearing on their professional incompetence. With branches in London Bridge, Maidstone, Ilford, and Harrow, the finding is bad for their reputation.
Kings Clinic declined a request for comment.
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