A private clinic in Letchworth that offers stool transplants to restore a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut has been told it requires improvement by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The CQC found the Taymount Clinic in Works Road requires improvement when it comes to safety, effectiveness and leadership, following an announced inspection in September. 

The health watchdog rated the clinic good when it comes to being caring and responsive to people's needs.

The Taymount Clinic specialises in providing faecal microbiota transplants (FMT) - also known as stool transplants - which is the process of transferring healthy faecal bacteria in a mixture of prepared processed stool from a healthy donor to the intestine of the patient.

The purpose of this treatment is to restore a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, and can be used for the treatment of clostridium difficile - a type of bacteria that can cause diarrhoea.

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Among its key findings, the CQC said the service did not have clear systems to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse across all areas, and did not undertake clinical audits to assess the impact on quality of care and outcomes for patients.

The CQC also found the service did not have clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management across all areas.

In its inspection report, published in October, the CQC said: "We found breaches of regulations. The provider must establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care."

The health watchdog did find that staff treated patients with kindness, respect and compassion, and that patients were able to access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs.

It also found that staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles, and that there were systems for reviewing and investigating when things went wrong.

The CQC said that, in most cases, risks to service users were assessed and managed, and that there were systems in place for the management of significant events and incidents.

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A spokesperson for the Taymount Clinic said: "Taymount Clinic is a world renowned, pioneering clinic that specialises in offering innovative solutions for individuals seeking to rebalance a healthy balance of bacteria in their gut through faecal microbiota transplants (FMT), commonly known as stool transplants.

"While recent findings from the CQC suggest areas for improvement in certain aspects of our clinic, we would like to emphasise our unwavering commitment to patient wellbeing. We pride ourselves on ensuring that our patients receive the best possible care and attention throughout their treatment journey.

"Our dedicated team of medical professionals and support staff work diligently to provide compassionate and responsive care to our patients. We place significant importance on creating a comfortable and supportive environment where patients' needs are met with kindness and respect. Patient satisfaction is paramount to us, and we continually strive to exceed their expectations.

"We acknowledge the importance of the CQC's regulatory role and take their findings seriously as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Our primary focus, however, is on the wellbeing of our patients, and we remain committed to helping them achieve optimal gut health and overall wellness."