The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Dr Felix Balaratnam

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

1 Gillmans Road, Orpington, Kent, BR5 4LA (01689) 822022

Provided and run by:
Dr Felix Balaratnam

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

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

6 October 2022

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Felix Balaratnam in October 2019 as part of our inspection programme. We rated the practice as Good overall. We rated the practice Good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well led services and Requires Improvement for providing a safe service. You can read the full report by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr Felix Balaratnam on our website (www.cqc.org.uk).

We were mindful of the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic when considering what type of inspection was necessary and proportionate, this was therefore a desk-based inspection. On 6 October 2022, we carried out a desk-based review to confirm that the practice had carried out improvement plans to their service.

We found that the practice had put measures in place for ongoing improvement. The practice is now rated Good for providing safe services.

We based our judgement on the quality of care at the service on a combination of:

  • What we found when we reviewed the information sent to us by the provider; and
  • Information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services.

We have rated safe as Good because:

  • Systems have been put in place to ensure the monitoring of all patients on high risk medicines;
  • Systems have been put in place to standardise the practice referral procedures.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services

21 October 2019

During a routine inspection

CQC carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Felix Balaratnam (Gillmans Road Surgery) on 10 May 2016. Overall the practice was rated as good. You can read our findings from our last inspection by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr Felix Balaratnam on our website at https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-482189920.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Felix Balaratnam (Gillmans Road Surgery) on 22 October 2019 as part of our inspection programme under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014

We carried out an inspection of this service following our annual review of the information available to us including information provided by the practice. Our review indicated that there may have been a significant change to the quality of care provided since the last inspection.

This inspection was a comprehensive inspection looking at all key questions.

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.

We have rated this practice as good overall and requires improvement for safeand good for all population groups.

At this inspection we found:

  • The provider had reviewed the arrangements for patients having access to a female GP.
  • The provider had reviewed their incident reporting procedure to ensure all incidents, including those identified through complaints, were recorded and processed following the incident reporting procedure.
  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events which all staff were aware of.
  • Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • 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.
  • Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
  • The service had a clear vision to deliver high quality care for patients.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Continue to regularly monitor patients on high risk medicines.
  • Formalise a succession plan.
  • Develop the system for monitoring referrals.
  • Take appropriate action on unplanned admissions and readmissions.
  • Monitor and record effectively the alcohol consumption of patients with mental health problems.
  • Identify and record patients with caring responsibilities on the clinical system to ensure information, advice and support is made available to them.
  • Take action to address the issues identified by the below average patient satisfaction scores of the GP patient survey.
  • Give staff protected time to undertake learning and development activities.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

10 May 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr F Balaratnam (Gillmans Road Surgery) on 10 May 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 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 been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

  • Patients we spoke to said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. However results from the GP patient survey published in January 2016 were below the CCG and national average for its satisfaction scores on consultations with GPs.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 improvements are:

  • The provider should review arrangements for patients to access a female GP.

  • The provider should ensure oxygen masks are available for children.

  • The provider should review their incident reporting procedure to ensure all incidents, including those identified through complaints, are recorded and processed following the incident reporting procedure.

  • The provider should take action to address the issues identified by the below average patient satisfaction scores of the GP patient survey.

  • The provider should review how patients with caring responsibilities are identified and recorded on the clinical system to ensure information, advice and support is made available to them.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice