The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Bower Mount Medical Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

1 Bower Mount Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8AX (01622) 756721

Provided and run by:
Bower Mount Medical Practice

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Bower Mount Medical Practice on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Bower Mount Medical Practice, you can give feedback on this service.

11 January 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Bower Mount Medical Practice on 11 January 2020. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.

25 April 2017

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bower Mount Medical Practice on 22 November 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. The full comprehensive report on the November 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Bower Mount Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 25 April 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 22 November 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice was able to demonstrate they were following guidance on the management of medicines.

  • The practice was able to demonstrate that fire safety risks to patients, staff and visitors were being assessed and well managed.

  • The practice had identified 91 patients on the practice list who were carers (0.9% of the practice list).

  • We looked at five policy and procedure documents that governed activity at the practice and saw that they were up to date and contained a planned review date.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

  • Continue to identify patients who are also carers to help ensure eligible patients are offered relevant support.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

22 November 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bower Mount Medical Practice on 22 November 2016. 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 a system for reporting and recording significant events.
  • The arrangements for managing medicines in the practice did not always keep patients safe.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. However, the practice was unable to demonstrate that regular fire drills were carried out.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
  • There was evidence of clinical audits driving quality improvement.
  • Staff had been trained to provide them with 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.
  • The practice had a website and patients were able to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and view their records online.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • 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. However, the practice was unable to demonstrate they had an effective system to help ensure all governance documents were kept up to date.
  • The practice gathered feedback from patients through the patient participation group (PPG), complaints received, patient surveys and by carrying out analysis of the results from the GP patient survey and the Friends and Family Test.
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are;

  • Revise medicines management and ensure that all medicines held by the practice are stored at the correct temperature.
  • Ensure the system that monitors blank prescriptions through the practice is effective.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are;

  • Revise fire safety management and consider bringing forward the plan to carry out regular fire drills.

  • Continue to identify patients who are also carers to help ensure they are offered appropriate support.

  • Revise the system that governs all policy and procedure documents to help ensure they are up to date.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice