The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: River Lodge Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Malling Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2RD (01273) 472233

Provided and run by:
River Lodge Surgery

All Inspections

11 February 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about River Lodge Surgery on 11 February 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.

29 November 2016

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this practice on 27 January 2016. Breaches of Regulatory requirements were found during that inspection within the safe domain. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice sent us an action plan detailing what they would do to meet the regulatory responsibilities in relation to the following:

  • Ensure that all staff undertaking chaperoning duties and who have unsupervised access to patients have undergone a check via the DBS.
  • Ensure that they have a record of hand written prescription serial numbers to monitor their use. This must be maintained and up to date.

We undertook this focused inspection on 29 November 2016 to check that the provider had followed their action plan and to confirm that they now met regulatory requirements.

This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for River Lodge Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This report should be read in conjunction with the last report published in July 2016.

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

  • We saw evidence to confirm that the practice had undertaken Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all staff who had unsupervised access to patients including those who undertook chaperoning duties.
  • We saw evidence to demonstrate that the practice had a system for monitoring both hand written and computer generated prescriptions.


Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

27 January 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at River Lodge Surgery on 27 January 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 patient’s needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had 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.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that 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.
  • Whilst recent checks carried out on staff ensured the safety of patients, not all staff had undergone a risk assessment or check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) when undertaking chaperoning duties.
  • The system for monitoring the stock of prescription pads was not robust enough to ensure their security.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

The provider must ensure that all staff undertaking chaperoning duties and who have unsupervised access to patients have undergone a check via the DBS.

The provider must ensure that they have a record of hand written prescription serial numbers to monitor their use. This must be maintained and up to date.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

25 September 2013

During a routine inspection

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service. We talked with six people who used the service, one of who was also a member of the practices Patient Participation Group (PPG). We observed interaction between staff and people who used the service. We visited both of the practices surgeries. We reviewed records and systems and looked at the environment and how this impacted on the service delivery. We spoke with staff that included; the secretary to the practice manager, the office manager, two practice nurses, a healthcare assistant, a senior receptionist, two medical secretaries/receptionists, and two GP's in the partnership one of who was also the registered manager for the practice. We subsequently spoke with the practice manager who was not present on the day of the inspection.

This told us that people who used the service care needs had been assessed; they had time to discuss their health care issues, and had been fully involved in making decisions about their care and treatment. Comments received included "I think it's a very good practice,' 'It's always been a friendly doctors. They have always seen to my needs,' and 'It's all about partnership and not just being listened to,' 'They have been brilliant in supporting me.'

We saw that processes were established that ensured staff had an understanding of abuse and what to do if it was suspected.

Records and processes in place ensured staff who worked in the practice had the right skills and qualifications to undertake the role designated. Staff had training and development opportunities and told us they were well supported by the provider and staff that they worked with.

We found that the processes in place that responded to complaints had ensured information provided was used to improve the service.