The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

The Hamilton Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Keats House, Bush Fair, Harlow, Essex, CM18 6LY (01279) 215415

Provided and run by:
The Hamilton Practice

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

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

17 January 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focused inspection at The Hamilton Practice on 17 January 2020. This was due to the length of time since the last inspection. Following our review of the information available to us, including information provided by the practice, we focused our inspection on the following key questions:

  • Is the practice effective?
  • Is the practice well-led?

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 good for all population groups.

We found that:

  • The practice was performing in line with or better than average in respect of prescribing, GP patient survey and QOF data.
  • Patient feedback was reviewed and used to drive improvement.
  • The practice was performing below target for cervical screening indicators. Some improvements had been made.
  • There were proactive arrangements to work with other healthcare professionals and providers.
  • Patient feedback was positive and was used to drive improvement; however, there was no patient participation group.

The areas where the practice should make improvement are:

  • Continue to review and improve uptake of cervical screening.
  • Continue to take steps to form a patient participation group.

We identified one area of outstanding practice:

  • The practice worked with another practice to support two local care homes and make improvements to patient’s health, care and treatment, the management of medicines and to reduce the frequency of home visits. They organised multi-disciplinary meetings with healthcare professionals and looked at ways of encouraging shared learning; this included representatives of the care homes, the CCG pharmacist, emergency care practitioner, care home practitioner and community matron. The practice had identified improvements as a result of the coordinated meetings: requests for home visits reduced from 14 to six in December. Ad-hoc prescription requests had stopped, with all patients transferred to a monthly prescribing regime.

14 October 2014

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

On 14 October 2014 we conducted an announced comprehensive inspection of The Hamilton Practice.

We found the practice overall rating was Good, improvements were required under the safe domain but all other domains, effective, responsive, caring and well led were rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

We found the practice had a clear strategy and a plan regarding how this was to be delivered.

  • We found the practice treated patients with compassion, dignity and respect. They were involved in care and treatment decisions and were provided accessible information to help them understand the care available to them.
  • Patients reported good access to the practice, a named GP and 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.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly, the provider must:

  • Ensure appropriate professional advice is responded to e.g. reports from the Clinical Commissioning Group pharmacist on prescribing.
  • Systems must be put in place to ensure patient dressings supplied for their individual use should be in date and stored separately from practice supplies.

In addition the provider should:

  • Ensure that completed clinical audit cycles are collated and learning shared within the practice.
  • Clinical staff should be provided with the opportunity to have individual clinical supervision.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice