The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Heath Hill Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

54 Heath Hill Road South, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 7BN (01344) 777915

Provided and run by:
Heath Hill Surgery

All Inspections

16 July 2015

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

Our previous inspection in October 2014 found breaches of regulation relating to the safe, effective and well-led delivery of services.

We found the practice required improvement for the provision of safe, effective and well-led services, and was rated good for providing caring and responsive services. Consequently we rated all population groups as requiring improvement.

This inspection was undertaken to check the practice was meeting regulations. For this reason we have only rated the location for the key questions to which these relate. This report should be read in conjunction with the full inspection report of 23 October 2014.

We found the practice had made improvements since our last inspection. At our inspection on the 16 July 2015 we found the practice was meeting the regulation that had previously been breached.

Specifically we found:

  • The practice had instituted systems to manage medicines and prescribing and had appointed one of the GPs as lead in medicines management.
  • Staff were complying with the practice control of infection policy.
  • Improvements had been made to protect the confidentiality of patient information..
  • The practice was actively identifying, assessing and managing risks to health and safety of patients, staff and visitors.

We have amended the rating for this practice to reflect these changes. The practice is now rated good for the provision of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led services.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

23/10/2014

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

Heath Hill Surgery is located in a semi-rural area of Crowthorne in Berkshire. It provides primary medical services to approximately 7200 registered patients.

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 23 October 2014. We visited the practice location at 54 Heath Hill Road South, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 7BN

Heath Hill Surgery was rated as requires improvement overall.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice is rated as requires improvement for safe. We identified minor areas of concern regarding an understanding of child protection, adherence to infection control practices and the temperature of hot water in the patients’ toilets.
  • The practice is rated as requires improvement for effective. We identified areas of concern relating to the lack of leadership in prescribing.  Data showed patient outcomes were at or above average for the locality.
  • The practice is rated as good for caring. Feedback from patients and survey data showed the practice performed above the clinical commissioning group (CCG) and national averages on patient satisfaction.
  • The practice is rated as good for responsive. Patients reported good access to the practice for urgent/ same day appointments but were not always able to access routine appointments with their named GP.
  • The practice is rated as requires improvement for well-led. We identified one area of concern relating to the lack of robust assessment and monitoring of the quality of the service provision. The practice had an active patient participation group (PPG) whose role was valued in improving patient care.

There were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements. 

Importantly, the provider must:

  • Protect patients and others who may be at risk of inappropriate or unsafe care and treatment, by means of the effective operation of quality assessment and monitoring systems.

We have issued one compliance action for the regulation relating to assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision.

In addition the provider should:

  • Ensure staff are familiar with child protection procedures
  • Ensure there is appropriate leadership to review prescribing and promote best practice.
  • Ensure fridge temperatures are monitored daily

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice