Background to this inspection
Updated
17 September 2020
Pollard Row Practice is situated in Bethnal Green in East London, within NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The practice provides services to approximately 4,547 patients under an Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) contract (a locally negotiated contract between NHS England and general practices for delivering general medical services).
The practice is registered with the CQC to carry on the following regulated activities: Diagnostic and screening procedures; Family planning; Maternity and midwifery services; Surgical procedures; and Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.
The clinical team at the practice consists of two male GP partners, one female long-term locum GP, a practice nurse and a phlebotomist. Non-clinical staff include a practice manager, a practice supervisor, and a team of reception and administrative staff members.
The practice is open between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, except for Thursday when it is open until 1pm. Appointments are available at the following times:
- Monday from 8am to 1pm and from 2pm to 8pm;
- Tuesday from 8am to 8pm;
- Wednesday from 8am to 1pm and from 2pm to 8pm;
- Thursday from 8am to 1pm;
- Friday from 8am to 1pm and from 2pm to 8pm.
Patients telephoning when the practice is closed are directed to the local out-of-hours service provider. Patients can also access extended hours appointments through several hub practices within Tower Hamlets.
Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as three, on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest. In England, people living in the least deprived areas of the country live around 20 years longer in good health than people in the most deprived areas.
National General Practice Profile describes the practice ethnicity as being 49.8% white, 36.3% Asian, 7.0% black, 4.3% mixed race, and 2.5% other ethnicities.
Updated
17 September 2020
This practice is rated as Good overall.
The key questions at this inspection are rated as:
Are services safe? – Good
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Good
Are services well-led? - Good
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Pollard Row Practice on 20 November 2018 as part of our inspection programme.
At the inspection we found:
- The practice had systems to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse.
- There were adequate systems for reviewing and investigating when things went wrong. The practice handled complaints appropriately and was aware of the duty of candour.
- The monitoring of uncollected prescriptions was not effective.
- The practice reviewed and monitored the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided.
- Care and treatment was delivered according to relevant and current evidence based guidance and standards.
- Patient feedback about the practice was generally positive, and the practice’s GP patient survey results were in line with local and national averages.
- The practice had an active patient participation group.
- The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs.
- There was a clear leadership structure, and staff told us that they felt able to raise concerns and were confident that these would be addressed.
- There were processes for providing staff with the development they needed, although the practice manager had not had an appraisal.
- There was a focus on continuous learning and improvement.
- The GP partners had informal case discussions with the long-term locum GP, but there was no formalised process to monitor and review the locum’s clinical work.
We identified areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review the system for monitoring and actioning of uncollected prescriptions.
- Ensure all incidents that are discussed and analysed are formally logged as significant events.
- Review the cleaning schedule to ensure all fittings and fixtures are included.
- Ensure all members of practice staff receive regular appraisals.
- Consider a formalised process to monitor and review the clinical work of locum clinicians.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice
Please refer to the detailed report and evidence t
able for further information.