The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

St Peter's Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

6 Oaklands Avenue, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2SQ (01843) 608860

Provided and run by:
St Peter's Surgery

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about St Peter's Surgery 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 St Peter's Surgery, you can give feedback on this service.

21 March 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about St Peter's Surgery on 21 March 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.

12 October 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 Peters Surgery on 29 November 2016. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the November 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for St Peters Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on12 October 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 29 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 now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice was able to demonstrate that the system for reporting, recording and learning from significant events was consistently and effectively implemented
  • Medicines management procedures had been reviewed to ensure an effective process for managing medicine alerts from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
  • Blank prescription forms and pads were securely stored with a system to monitor their use.
  • Risk assessments and management activities included all potential and actual risks to patients, staff and visitors and recommendations and actions were implemented in a timely manner.
  • Recruitment checks were carried out for all members of staff including locum GPs.
  • Staff received appropriate support through regular appraisals.
  • Staff received ongoing training appropriate to their role including fire safety training.
  • There were systems to help ensure the safety of services. For example, the recording of fire evacuation rehearsal procedures and the checking of emergency equipment.
  • The practice had a system to monitor and record the hepatitis B status of GPs and nurses.
  • The practice was not based in a purpose built building. However, the entrance doorways were wheelchair accessible, the doors opened inwards when pushed and there was a bell to attract the attention of reception staff.
  • The practice had identified an increased number of patients as carers. There were 80 patients on the carers register, almost 2% of the patient list.
  • Information regarding how to make a complaint was displayed in the patient waiting area.
  • The practice were aware of patients waiting 15 minutes or less for their appointments. They responded by routinely asking patients to telephone before their appointments in order to ascertain waiting times at the practice and had an action plan to audit appointments. Conversely, 96% of respondents to the GP patient survey published July 2017 found that their GP appointment provided enough time, compared to 86% at CCG and national average. 95% of respondents were able to make an appointment with their preferred GP compared to the CCG average of 64% and the national average of 56%.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

29 November 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Peter's Surgery on 29 November 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • The practice was unable to demonstrate that the system for reporting, recording and learning from significant events was consistently and effectively implemented.
  • Blank prescription forms and pads were not securely stored nor were there were systems to monitor their use. However, this was rectified during the inspection and satisfactory systems were implemented.
  • Risks to patients, staff and visitors were not always assessed and well managed. For example, fire safety as well as health and safety risk.
  • The practice’s systems, processes and practices did not always keep patients safe. For example, appropriate recruitment checks had not always been undertaken prior to the employment of staff by the practice including locum GPs employed directly by the practice.
  • Data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) showed patient outcomes were at or above average compared to the national average (QOF is a system intended to improve the quality of general practice and reward good practice.
  • 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. However, not all staff were up to date with fire safety training. Nor had all staff had received an appraisal in the last twelve months.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • A nurse practitioner provided home visits and comprehensive, personalised care plans for patients aged 75 and over.
  • Records demonstrated that complaints were investigated, complainants received a response, the practice had learned from complaints and had implemented appropriate changes. However, information was not readily displayed in patient waiting areas to help patients understand the complaints system.
  • Patients told us on the day of the inspection that they were able to get appointments when they needed them. However, they also said that there were long waits of up to an hour to see the GP past their appointment time. The practice was aware of this and responded by routinely asking patients to telephone before their appointments in order to ascertain waiting times at the practice.
  • The practice was not always well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. For example, the entrance did not have a wheel chair accessible door opening system.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice 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 improvement are:

  • Ensure all significant events are identified and recorded as significant events and learning from them is shared throughout the practice.
  • Review medicines management procedures to ensure that there is an effective process for managing medicine alerts from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
  • Ensure risk assessment and management activities include all potential and actual risks to patients, staff and visitors and that recommendations and actions are implemented in a timely manner.
  • Ensure recruitment checks are carried out for all members of staff including locum GPs.
  • Ensure that all staff receive appropriate support through regular appraisals and are up to date with mandatory training. For example, fire safety training.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Review how patients using wheelchairs gain access to the premises.
  • Continue to review and monitor blank prescription forms and pads.
  • Continue to develop the carers register and review how the needs and requirements of this group of patients are being met.
  • Review how information on how to complain is shared with patients at the practice.
  • Review the appointment system and how long patients have to wait past their appointment times.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice