The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Bridgeside Surgery Also known as Dr S Savvas & Dr R Merritt

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

1 Western Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 3DG (01323) 441234

Provided and run by:
Bridgeside 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 Bridgeside 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 Bridgeside Surgery, you can give feedback on this service.

14 November 2019 to 14 November 2019

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bridgeside Surgery on 11 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the March 2018 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Bridgeside Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

On 19 June 2019 we carried out a focussed inspection to confirm that the practice was compliant with a warning notice issued following the March 2019 inspection. A warning notice had been issued against regulation 12 (1) (safe care and treatment) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. At this inspection we found the practice to be compliant against the warning notice.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bridgeside Surgery on 14 November 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

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.

We rated the practice as good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services.

We found that:

  • The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
  • Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
  • Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
  • The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care. The practice had acted to improve their risk management processes and we saw health and safety risk assessments had been carried out and action taken to mitigate the risks.
  • Medicines were stored securely, and cupboards and room doors were seen to be locked. Printer prescriptions were maintained securely, and a log was maintained or this.
  • Non-clinical staff undertaking chaperone duties had received a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
  • Staff worked well together as a team and all felt supported to carry out their roles. There was a strong team ethos and culture of working together.
  • Staff received access to training and support to develop their skills.
  • The practice had utilised the roles of paramedic practitioners to provide care and treatment to patients.

We identified areas where the provider should make improvements:

  • Review the current significant event and complaints processes to ensure learning outcomes and actions are always captured as part of this process.

  • Review the system for managing MHRA alerts to demonstrate oversight of any actions taken in response to each alert.

  • Review the complaints system to ensure all responses to complaints contain signposting the next steps they can take if they are unhappy with the practice response.

  • Review the emergency medicine provision and risk assess the exclusion of medicines for the treatment of epilepsy.

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

19 June 2019

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bridgeside Surgery on 11 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the December 2018 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Bridgeside Surgery on our website at .

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 19 June 2019 to confirm that the practice was compliant with a warning notice issued following the March 2019 inspection. A warning notice had been issued against regulation 12 (1) (safe care and treatment) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This report also covers our findings in relation to the requirements against regulation 12 (1) (safe care and treatment).

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.

The ratings remain unchanged from the March 2019 inspection as the purpose of the June 2019 inspection was to review compliance against the warning notice issued. We found the practice to be compliant against the warning notice issued against regulation 12 (1) (safe care and treatment).

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice had acted to improve their risk management processes and we saw health and safety risk assessments had been carried out and action taken to mitigate the risks.
  • The practice had improved the way in which they controlled substances hazardous to health. Risk assessments and data sheets were maintained. Substances were stored securely.
  • The majority of staff had completed fire training and there was evidence of fire drills taking place. The fire policy had been reviewed.
  • Medicines were stored securely, and cupboards and room doors were seen to be locked.
  • Printer prescriptions were maintained securely, and a log was maintained or this.
  • Non-clinical staff undertaking chaperone duties had received a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

We identified one area where the provider should make improvements:

  • Continue to address fire training so that all staff complete it.

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

11 March 2019

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bridgeside Surgery on 11 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme. At a previous comprehensive inspection in January 2016 the practice was rated as good overall and in all key questions and population groups.

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 requires improvement overall.

We rated the practice as inadequate for providing safe services because:

  • The practice did not have clear systems and processes to keep patients safe.
  • The practice did not have appropriate systems in place for the safe management of medicines and medicines stationary.
  • No environmental risk assessment had been carried out. Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) risk assessments had not been carried out and cleaning materials were not stored safely.
  • Action to mitigate the risk of fire had not been carried out. Staff had not received fire training since 2017 and there was no record of fire drills since 2015.
  • A risk assessment for staff in relation to the need for disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks did not take account of those staff with chaperoning duties.

We rated the practice as requires improvement for providing effective services because:

  • The practice was unable to show that staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles. There were gaps in staff training, including in relation to the appropriate level of child safeguarding training for clinical staff.

We rated the practice as requires improvement for providing well-led services because:

  • Leaders could not show that they had the capacity and skills to deliver high quality, sustainable care.
  • The overall governance arrangements were ineffective.
  • The practice did not have clear and effective processes for managing risks, issues and performance.

These areas affected all population groups so we rated all population groups as requires improvement.

We rated the practice as good for providing caring and responsive services because:

  • Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
  • The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

  • Ensure that care and treatment is provided in a safe way.
  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
  • Ensure persons employed in the provision of the regulated activity receive the appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal necessary to enable them to carry out the duties.

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

12 January 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bridgeside Surgery on 12 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 patients’ 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 were able 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

The provider should make the following improvements:-

  • Ensure that the progress made in relation to clinical audits is complimented by the introduction of a system to facilitate effective monitoring and management of all audits conducted. This should include all audits conducted by trainee GPs.

  • Ensure that the risk assessment in relation to Legionella reflects all of the elements described in the practice policy.

  • Ensure that actions undertaken in relation to Medic and other alerts received, are subject to a formal, auditable decision making process.

  • Ensure that a system is introduced to facilitate effective recording, monitoring and management of recruitment processes and training.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

2 December 2014

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bridgeside Surgery on the 2 December 2014. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

Specifically, we found the practice to require improvement for providing safe and well led services. The concerns which led to these ratings apply to everyone using the practice. Therefore the different population group are also rated as requires improvement. The practice was rated as good for providing a caring effective and responsive service.

Bridgeside Surgery provides general medical services to people living in Hailsham. The practice is situated in a residential area. At the time of our inspection there were approximately 5,200 patients registered at the practice with a team of two GP Partners. A third GP was in the process of registering as a partner with the practice via the CQC.

The inspection team spoke with staff and patients and reviewed policies and procedures. The practice understood the needs of the local population and engaged effectively with other services. However, there was no written strategy as to how the practice would cope with key members of staff leaving and increasing patient numbers due to new housing developments in the area. Recruitment files we reviewed did not contain the required information and staff appraisals had not taken place on an annual basis. However, there was a culture of openness and transparency within the practice and staff told us they felt supported. The practice was committed to providing high quality patient care and patients told us they felt the practice was caring and responsive to their needs.

The practice has an overall rating of requires improvement.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • Patient feedback about the practice and the care and treatment they received was very positive.
  • Infection control audits and cleaning schedules were in place and the practice was seen to be clean and tidy
  • The practice routinely carried out clinical audits and investigated significant events and complaints.
  • Staff told us there was an open/no blame culture and they were supported in their roles.
  • An active patient participation group was working in partnership with the practice and there was evidence the practice was listening to it patients.
  • There were a range of appointments to suit most patients’ needs and on-line facilities for booking appointments and repeat prescriptions.
  • Patients told us they were able to get the time needed with their GPs and did not feel rushed. However, this meant that some patients reported delays in appointment times due to appointments over-running with other patients.

There were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly, the provider must:

  • Ensure that all recruitment checks are carried out including risk assessments and recorded as part of the staff recruitment process and that the recruitment policy reflects accurately the procedures necessary. Ensure there is a written risk assessment where decisions have been made regarding staff not receiving a criminal check via the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS)
  • Ensure staff are supported through appraisals.
  • Ensure the practice carries out a risk assessment for legionella and has a corresponding policy.
  • Ensure all staff have appropriate policies, procedures and guidance to carry out their role.
  • Ensure that audit cycles are fully recorded in order to demonstrate actions taken have enhanced care and record where improvements to the service have been made.

In addition the provider should:

  • Ensure that patient information is clearly displayed for requesting chaperones
  • Ensure that patient information is clearly displayed in relation to the complaints system and contains information of other organisations that can support a complainant.
  • Develop a written strategic plan for the practice to include succession planning and how the practice will cope with new building developments which would mean a growing population size.
  • Ensure portable electrical equipment is routinely tested and examined and record information relating to this.
  • Ensure that staff are trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice