Our ‘Outstanding’ Care Quality Commission Rating

We are delighted to announce that following a recent routine Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, we have been awarded an overall ‘Outstanding’ inspection rating. This is the highest possible rating and is rarely awarded.

This extraordinary achievement would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our incredible team – the brilliant menopause doctors in our clinic, our patient support and operations team, and our pause. community team.

The full inspection report can be downloaded from the CQC website by clicking here.

What is the purpose of a CQC inspection?

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects health and adult social care services in England to make sure that they provide safe, high-quality care.

As the independent regulator, it is the CQC’s job to register, inspect and monitor the quality of the service provided. The CQC inspects a service based on the five following questions:

1. Are services safe?

2. Are services effective?

3. Are services caring?

4. Are services responsive to people’s needs?

5. Are services well-led?

At the end of an inspection, a summary is given of what was found and the highlights of the inspection. Any suggested improvements are discussed, and the final inspection rating is confirmed.

The possible ratings are as follows:

      – Inadequate

      – Requires Improvement

      – Good

      – Outstanding (That’s us!)

If a service needs to improve, CQC will take action to make sure this happens.

Why did we achieve an overall ‘outstanding’ rating?

Our mission is to empower women to take control of their menopause and thrive. We believe passionately in demystifying the menopause, raising awareness of the symptoms, and supporting women through their menopause transition with evidence-based information, advice, and personalised care. We recognise that not every person will have the option to avail of a private menopause consultation which is why we provide so much expert content for free on our website, our social channels, and through live events. In addition, our Menopause Questionnaire results in a free, personalised menopause assessment and advice on a range of treatment options.

All the doctors in our clinic are experts in menopause and listening is at the heart of everything they do – it helps them understand our patients’ symptoms, goals, and needs. We know that every woman’s experience of the menopause is different and that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Our doctors share the latest evidence-based information and advice, and work with their patients to create a personalised treatment plan.

The CQC rated us as ‘outstanding’ based on the following findings (taken from their report):

• We found evidence to uphold the provision of safe care and treatment. Procedures for medicines management were robust to support online prescribing and ongoing monitoring.
• The service worked within evidence-based practice, whilst providing individualised care, and all clinicians were British Menopause Society trained. There was an established programme of quality improvement and clinical audit to demonstrate the efficacy of patient outcomes. There were proactive communication channels with the patients’ registered NHS GPs to ensure joined-up, and continuity of care.
• We found that the service was caring and compassionate towards patients and we observed many positive comments received from those who had used the service.
•  The provider gave patients follow up options for treatment or tests both on a private basis or by signposting to appropriate follow up via the NHS, further to an initial private consultation.
• We found that the service had strong leadership from experienced, committed and patient-centred clinical and operational managers.
• The service had highly effective governance and assurance processes. Although this was a new service, it had established a robust assurance framework that was aligned to fundamental standards of care.
• The service had a purpose to empower women to take control of their menopause and thrive during this phase of their life. This required an approach of raising awareness of the menopause, providing advice and information, and highlighting what treatment options might be available. Recognising that not all women have the option to seek private treatment, the service offered free independent advice and evidence-based information on their website and through social channels. For example, the website included a menopause questionnaire which provided a free personalised assessment, information and advice on the range of options to treat their symptoms.

Thank you again to our incredible team!