Grimsby's Attic Medi Spa becomes first in area to be registered with CQC

A medical aesthetic and wellness clinic has celebrated becoming the first in North East Lincolnshire to be registered with the Care Quality Commission.

The Attic Medi Spa in Grimsby’s Abbeygate achieved the status following an exhaustive process. It means, said owner and registered general nurse / prescriber Amanda Baldwin, patients using its facilities, services and products could feel safe and reassured in a sector that is completely unregulated at present in the UK.

“I’m proud to say we have become the first CQC registered clinic in the area,” Amanda said. “There is absolutely no regulation surrounding aesthetic treatments and there have been some awful, high-profile cases nationwide of treatments going wrong.

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“I have always been quite vocal that people offering certain treatments should be medics and the premises they work from registered. We are both.

“Patients – they are not clients – should be able to go to a clinic and feel safe knowing, among other things, any products being injected into them are licensed, evidence based and registered with the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.”

The CQC registration demands numerous policies and procedures are in place within the clinic. They cover areas such as clinical governance, staff training, emergency situations, safeguarding and building regulations. We have invested heavily in our facilities and staff to ensure we meet a gold standard,” said Amanda.

“My team have been with me a long time. They are experienced practitioners whose knowledge has been elevated even further to provide safe, effective treatments throughout the clinic.

“We have built a good reputation over the years and recognition by the CQC is an important step in our journey.”

Amanda has been nursing for 42 years and worked in the NHS as an operating theatre sister. She has been qualified in medical aesthetics and skin treatments for 18 years, establishing The Attic Medi Spa in 2011.

She has 12 staff, including daughters Ellie, a senior therapist, and Hollie, also a registered nurse. It has not been easy for the family.

Amanda’s late husband Greg was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2013 when he was just 48. He passed away three years later.

“It was a heartbreaking period for us all as a family, but we did more in those three years than in all of the other years we spent together, making every day count.

“I was fortunate in that my nursing experience enabled me to look after Greg. When he passed away, it gave me the incentive to focus on this business full time. Although the NHS was extremely supportive, holding my post open for five years, I didn’t feel I wanted to I return, and instead turned my attention to building and developing The Attic Medi Spa.”

Investment in the business runs into hundreds of thousands, including two market-leading, state-of-the-art Harmony and Soprano Ice lasers, used in a variety of skin treatments and hair and tattoo removal. Amanda said: “We are a wellness centre for men as well as women, offering facial treatments, massages, reflexology, clinical hypnotherapy and an amazing yoga studio.

“The mental, as well as physical, health of our patients is crucial. The consultation stage plays a vital role and ensures the patients receives the care, reassurance and attention needed.

“We have referral pathways to the NHS to include mental health support and dermatology. Likewise, the NHS can refer patients that can benefit from our specialised services.”

The CQC says those registered are assessed “to check they are safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led.”

Amanda said: “The CQC registration does not stop there. We will be inspected in the future and need to ensure compliance, continually updating policies and procedures.

“But I think it is worth it and feedback from patients suggests it is too. I am extremely proud of our wonderful clinic and what we have built here together as a team in the heart of Grimsby.”

Monica Doe has been a patient at The Attic Medi Spa for 10 years undergoing treatments including injectables, laser, holistic and sports massages and hormone support. She trusts Amanda “implicitly”.

“CQC registration is a massive accolade,” she said. “The place has always been beautiful but I’ve seen the investment and transformation to meet its standards.

“What I most like is that any treatment starts with a medical consultation. You don’t just book in.

“Mandy shows compassion and understanding. There’s no pressure and she makes it a special experience. I always feel safe when I’m being treated by her or a member of her team.”

For more details about The Attic Medi Spa’s services and range of treatments go to www.theatticspa.co.uk