The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: St Lukes

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

2 St Lukes Square, London, E16 1HT (020) 7366 6430

Provided and run by:
Lantern Health CIC

All Inspections

18 May 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 St Luke’s on 9 February 2016. The overall rating for the practice was Good. The full comprehensive report on the February 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for St Luke’s on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At our previous inspection on 9 February 2016, we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing safe services as the practice had no health and safety risk assessment in place. In addition, we found that the practice had not conducted regular Legionella or fire safety checks, and that premises and medical equipment cleaning had not been undertaken.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 18 May 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 9 February 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection. At this inspection, we found that the practice had put in place a system to conduct regular Legionella and fire safety checks and had conducted a recent health and safety assessment. In addition, we found that the practice had implemented a cleaning schedule for the premises and for medical equipment. As a result of these findings, the practice rating remains as Good overall.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice had put in place a system of processes and practices to keep patients and staff safe. For example, the practice evidenced that fire safety and Legionella checks were now being conducted and that a schedule of cleaning for the premises and medical equipment was in place.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

9 February 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St. Luke’s Practice on 9 February 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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, with the exception of those relating to health and safety.
  • 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 said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • 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 must make improvements are:

  • Implement systems and processes to monitor and mitigate risks for example health and safety, including risks such Legionella and COSHH.

In addition the provider should:

  • Ensure patients are aware of chaperoning and translation services should they require these services.
  • Keep a record of premises and medical equipment cleaning schedules.
  • Implement regular checks to ensure emergency equipment is consistently fit for use.
  • Ensure induction covers topics such as safeguarding, infection prevention and control, and confidentiality.
  • Implement a suitable system for checking the safety of refrigerated medicines including their expiry date.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

8 January 2014

During a routine inspection

The doctor and nurse practitioner told us that most consent was implied but verbal consent was obtained from patients before carrying out physical examinations, giving treatment or administering vaccinations.

Patients we spoke with confirmed that their medical needs had been assessed and they had agreed to the treatment they received. Patients we spoke with said they had been able to make an appointment to see a doctor without any difficulties but they rarely got to see the same doctor twice. One patient told us 'the surgery has improved over time. It is much more efficient now'. Most patients we spoke with said they would recommend the surgery but felt continuity of care could be improved.

The practice was clean, tidy and generally well maintained. There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.

Medicines were held safely and appropriate and accurate records were maintained.

Records relevant to the management of the service were held securely and fit for purpose.