Wigan sexual health services receive praise from health inspectors

After a two day inspection of the services provided by Spectrum Community Health CIC (which has seen over 30,000 patient contacts from March 2018 to April 2019), Care Quality Commission inspectors found that the services are performing well and are meeting expectations.

The commission found the services to be good across all five key areas, ensuring that care is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

The inspectors said: “The service provides sexual health services for patients in a relaxed and private environment. We observed all staff support and care for patients with compassion and respect.

“Feedback from patients was positive about the ways staff were sensitive to their needs and the way staff treated them. The service was centred on providing a positive experience for all patients using the service.”

The report noted that it was easy for people to give feedback and Spectrum monitored patient outcomes and made improvements to the service following the feedback received.

Of the patients the inspectors spoke to, all spoke positively about their experience at the clinic and would recommend the service to family and friends.

The report adds: “We observed all staff support and care for patients with compassion and respect.

“Feedback from patients confirmed they were treated with kindness and understanding.”

Spectrum is commissioned by Wigan Council to deliver integrated sexual health services in the Wigan and Leigh districts (starting in March 2018) and provides a fully integrated sexual health service for contraception and genito-urinary medicine service – the first of its kind in the region (prior to the contract start, sexual health services were split across a number of providers).

The inspection report also noted that Spectrum had added more clinics to meet people’s needs from March 2019.