The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • Out of hours GP service

Barking Hospital

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Upney Lane, Barking, Essex, IG11 9LX

Provided and run by:
Together First Limited

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Barking Hospital 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 Barking Hospital, you can give feedback on this service.

From the 7 to 19 December 2023

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection 10 October 2018 the service was rated overall Good)

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Outstanding

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Barking Hospital from the 7 to 19 December 2023 as part of our inspection programme.

How we carried out the inspection.

This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site.

This included:

  • Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing.
  • Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider.
  • Requesting evidence from the provider.
  • A site visit.

Our findings

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.

At this inspection we found:

We rated the service as outstanding for providing responsive services because:

  • People can access services and appointments in a way and at a time that suits them.
  • Technology was used innovatively to ensure people have timely access to treatment, support, and care.
  • The service identified people’s health inequalities and needs and provided services in response.
  • The service improved on commissioned services to provide better outcomes for patients.
  • People’s individual needs and preferences were central to the delivery of tailored services.

We have rated safe, effective, caring and well-led as good because:

  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • The service had systems to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse.
  • Technology and equipment were used to improve treatment and to support patients' independence. The service was able to access the patients GP NHS records to ensure they had enough information when making care and treatment decisions.
  • Staff worked together and worked well with other organisations to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • The service had a vision and strategy to deliver quality care and promote good outcomes for patients.
  • Leaders had the capacity and skills to deliver quality sustainable care.
  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Act to risk assess any Disclosure and Barring checks that are not current and from a previous employer.
  • Improve the recording and guidance for the audit of clinician’s patient consultations reviews.
  • Review policies and procedure to check they fully reflect the services practices.
  • Act to record verbal complaints to enable the identification of any reoccurring issues.
  • Seek further assurance that all staff have completed the necessary training for their roles.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Health Care

28 August and 4 September 2018

During a routine inspection

This service is rated as Good overall.

The key questions 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 at Barking Hospital on 28 August and the 4 September 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

  • The service had good systems in place to safeguard children and adults from abuse.

  • The service reviewed safety incidents and learned from them and improved their processes.

  • The service routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

  • Staff involved and treated people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

  • Patients were able to access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs.

  • Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles.

  • The service had systems for sharing information with staff and other agencies to enable them to deliver safe care and treatment. However, the service did not have access to all of the patient’s medical records. The Clinical Commissioning Group confirmed that access to all patient notes was out of the services control. Although, recently more GP practices had moved to one computer software system and the service was looking at ways of funding this system.

  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement by the provider.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • The provider should review the policies and standard operating procedures to ensure that they fully reflect the services practices and sites.

  • The provider should continue to review the systems and protocols for the management and prevention of infection control. This should include the review of non-clinical staffs immunisation records.

  • The provider should continue to review the management and storage of medicines, this should include a risk assessment of emergency drugs and the security of prescriptions.

  • The provider should review the necessity for child oximeters for the monitoring a child’s pulse and heart rate.

  • The provider should consider the use of interpretation services to aid staff at the call centre.

  • The provider should review the appraisal system to ensure it includes all call handlers.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice