Background to this inspection
Updated
8 November 2019
Dr Rajesh Pandey is an individual provider offering general medical services to approximately 2,700 patients living and working in and around Hastings.
Services are provided from: 83 Priory Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3JJ.
The practice is a single-handed practice; there is one GP, with locums providing holiday and training cover. There is also a locum advanced nurse practitioner, a part-time practice nurse, a full-time practice manager and three administrative/reception staff.
The practice runs a number of services for its patients, including asthma clinics, child immunisation clinics, diabetes clinics, new patient checks, and weight management support. There is also a substance misuse service onsite for patients of the practice. This takes place every two weeks and is run by a specialist substance abuse nurse from a local service.
The practice population has a slightly higher number of patients under the age of 18 and fewer patients over the age of 65 compared with the England average. The practice population also has a higher number of patients with a long-standing health condition compared to the national average. Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as two, on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest. Male life expectancy is 77, which is below the national average of 79 years. Female life expectancy is 82, which is slightly below the national average of 83 years.
Patients needing to access care between 6.30pm and 8am on weekdays and at weekends and bank holidays can phone the practice and are directed to the NHS 111 service who will signpost them to the most appropriate service.
The practice is registered to carry out the following Registered Activities: Diagnostic and screening procedures and treatment of disease, disorder and injury; maternity and midwifery services.
Updated
8 November 2019
We carried out an announced focused inspection at Dr Rajesh Pandey (also known as Priory Road Surgery) on 10 September 2019 as part of our inspection programme.
At the last inspection in August 2018 we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing safe services because:
- Refrigerators containing vaccines and other temperature sensitive medicines did not have their maximum and minimum temperatures recorded daily. One fridge was overstocked with medicines.
- Unclaimed scripts other than for controlled drugs were not reviewed for five to six months.
- The practice could not produce evidence that one member of the nursing staff was adequately covered by medical indemnity for their role.
- The practice could not demonstrate that staff vaccination was maintained in line with current Public Health England (PHE) guidance.
We also found areas where the provider should make improvements:
- Review and implement appropriate advice on the appointment of fire marshals.
- Review and improve the system for updating protocols and registration checks.
- Review and improve uptake of childhood immunisations.
- Review and improve how the medicines reviews are reflected within the clinical system.
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- what we found when we inspected
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
Overall the practice continues to be rated as good and is now rated good for providing safe services.
Details of our findings
At this inspection we found:
- The practice had reviewed and updated their policies and procedures to ensure that refrigerated medicines were appropriately monitored. Actions were taken if temperatures went out of the recommended range.
- The practice had revised and improved their recording of medicines reviews. Uncollected prescriptions were checked monthly and concerns were followed up with clinicians.
- Staff had received training for the storage of vaccines, a fire marshal was in place and all staff had appropriate indemnity insurance. The practice had a system to check staff were registered with the appropriate professional body.
- The practice childhood immunisation uptake rates had all met the World Health Organisation (WHO) target. The practice had additional measures in place to invite patients and follow up on children who were not brought to their appointment.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Continue to ensure staff vaccination is maintained in line with current Public Health England (PHE) guidance if relevant to role.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.