The Care Quality Commission
  • Prison healthcare

HMP Hewell

Hewell Lane, Redditch, Worcestershire, B97 6QS (0118) 952 1864

Provided and run by:
Practice Plus Group Health and Rehabilitation Services Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

All Inspections

13-15 November 2023

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focused inspection of healthcare services provided by Practice Plus Group Health and Rehabilitation Services Limited (PPG) at HMP Hewell between 13 and 15 November 2023.

Following our last joint inspection with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) in November 2022, we found that the quality of healthcare provided by PPG at this location required improvement. We issued a Requirement Notice in relation to Regulation 17, Good Governance, of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

The purpose of this focused inspection was to determine if the healthcare services provided were meeting the legal requirements of the Requirement Notice that we issued in March 2023 and to find out if patients were receiving safe care and treatment.

At this inspection we found the required improvements had been made and the provider was meeting the regulations.

We do not currently rate services provided in prisons.

At this inspection we found:

  • Governance processes operated effectively at team level and performance and risk were adequately managed.

4 February 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focused inspection of healthcare services provided by Care UK Health and Rehabilitation Services Limited (Care UK) at HMP Hewell on 4 February 2020. We last inspected the service in June 2019 when we judged that Care UK was in breach of CQC regulations. We issued three Requirement Notices on 25 September 2019 in relation to Regulation 12, Safe care and treatment, Regulation 17, Good governance and Regulation 18, Staffing, of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

The purpose of this inspection was to determine if the healthcare services provided by Care UK were now meeting the legal requirements and regulations under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. We found that improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of the regulations.

We do not currently rate services provided in prisons.

At this inspection we found:

  • There was increased staffing in healthcare, particularly within the clinical substance misuse and pharmacy teams, which led to improved outcomes for patients.
  • Ongoing partnership working with the prison was improving attendance at healthcare by reducing missed appointments.
  • The provider had introduced systems to help ensure patients arriving at HMP Hewell with substance dependencies were appropriately identified and monitored.
  • The provider ensured an appropriate check of community prescribing records took place for patients arriving from courts to ensure patients received continuity of care with medicines.
  • Regular supervision helped support staff.
  • Healthcare staff worked with prison managers to relocate the substance misuse and mental health staff into a single location. This improved staff safety and patient continuity of care.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Fully embed new processes for safe storage and management of medicines.
  • Monitor and assess patients with substance misuse needs in line with guidance and report and escalate any omissions.