The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Brunswick House Medical Group

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

1 Brunswick Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA1 1ED (01228) 515808

Provided and run by:
Brunswick House Medical Group

All Inspections

12 November 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Brunswick House Medical Group on 12 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • The practice had made improvements to make it easier for patients to make an appointment with a named GP and provide continuity of care. Urgent appointments were available the same day.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Change consultation rooms curtains at intervals in line with good practice guidelines.
  • Review and seek to improve their performance across a number of indicators relating to mental health within the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

4 August 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We first inspected Brunswick House Medical Practice on 12 February 2014. Following this inspection the practice received a compliance action with regards to infection control and the general cleaning of the building. We re-inspected the practice on 04 August 2014 to check they had complied with the compliance action we previously set.

During this inspection, we found that the practice had addressed the issues we had previously identified. For example, we found there was a designated lead for infection control and staff had received infection control training. Cleaning schedules were available in each room and audits were undertaken monthly. A member of staff told us that they felt they had ''come along way' since our inspection in February 2014.

12 February 2014

During a routine inspection

We were able to speak with five people who used the service (patients) who were in the waiting room when we visited. All of the patients we spoke with confirmed that they were happy with the service they received from the GP and clinical staff. The main surgery waiting room was set up in such a way to give a patient as much confidentiality as possible when talking with staff at the reception. Both staff and patients using the practice confirmed that all consultations were conducted in private in the treatment rooms.

The practice had appropriate equipment to support people in the event of a medical emergency. Patients told us that there was usually no delay in them seeing the doctor when they arrived at the surgery at their appointed time. One patient said, 'I can be kept waiting but the time I spend with the doctor is fine.' We observed six patients when they arrived at the surgery. All were seen within 15 minutes of their arrival time.

On a tour of the premises we found that it looked clean and comfortable. However on further inspection we found that high level (above head height) cleaning was not effective.

We saw that all staff were appropriately trained and supported to do their job. There was evidence that regular audits were undertaken within the practice. We found that there were appropriate systems in place to enable the provider to assess and monitor the quality and safety of the service, protect people who used the service and improve outcomes for people.