The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Dr Sarah Bond and partners Also known as Kingsclere Medical Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

North Street, Kingsclere, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 5QX (01635) 296000

Provided and run by:
Dr Sarah Bond and partners

All Inspections

25 April 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 Dr Sarah Bond and partners on 7 June 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good, with the safe domain rated as requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the 7 June 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr Sarah Bond and partners on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 25 April 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 7 June 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

At this inspection in April 2017 the practice is now rated as good overall and all domains are rated as good.

Areas which did not meet the regulations at the June 2016 inspection were:

  • Vaccine fridge stock was not kept secure when treatment rooms were not in use.

  • Prescription printer paper was stored in the printers in an unlocked room when unoccupied.

  • Security of the controlled drugs cabinet was not maintained in that the keys were stored in an unlocked cabinet.

  • Infection control procedures were not implemented in line with practice policy or as a result of recommendations from audits.

  • Cleaning checks of treatment and consulting rooms were not recorded.

We made recommendations where the provider should make improvement on the following areas:

  • Control and access to staff only areas.
  • Arrangements for communicating with patients who are hard of hearing or who used hearing aids.
  • Records of significant events to included actions resulting from clinical discussions.
  • Coding all patients known to be vulnerable adults on the practices electronic records system and maintaining an up to date vulnerable adult risk register.
  • Act on the results of the Legionella risk assessment.
  • Reviewing arrangements for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Key findings at the inspection on 25 April 2017:

  • The vaccine fridge stock was kept secure when treatment rooms were not in use.

  • Prescription printer paper was stored securely and removed from the printers when the rooms were unoccupied.

  • Security of the controlled drugs cabinet was maintained and keys were stored in a locked cupboard.

  • Infection control procedures were implemented in line with practice policy and as a result of recommendations from audits.

  • Cleaning checks of treatment and consulting rooms were recorded.

We also noted that all recommendations where the provider should make improvements had been actioned:

  • Access to staff only areas was restricted by the use of key pad locks.

  • Staff had been trained on how to use the hearing loop and it was readily available.

  • The processes for recording significant events had improved and now contained full details of actions resulting from clinical discussions.

  • The practice maintained a register of vulnerable patients and ensured they were coded appropriately on their system. They had also reviewed their safeguarding adults policy to ensure it contained up to date and relevant information.

  • An action plan had been implemented and carried out in line with recommendations from the results of the Legionella risk assessment.

  • The practice had carried out a review of all recruitment files and ensured they had the relevant checks needed prior to a new member of staff commencing. When needed a risk assessment had been carried out to demonstrate why a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check was not required.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

7 June 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Sarah Bond and Partners on 7 June 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks, cleaning checks and securing treatment and consulting rooms when not in use.
  • 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.

  • Data showed patient outcomes were comparable to the national average. Although some audits had been carried out, we saw limited evidence that audits were driving improvements to patient outcomes.
  • The majority of patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect. However, not all felt cared for, supported and listened to.
  • 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 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:

  • Ensure recruitment arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff.

  • Ensure actions are identified and acted upon as a result of recommendations of infection control audits and cleaning checks of treatment and consulting rooms are recorded.

  • Ensure consulting rooms remain secure when not in use. This includes ensuring vaccine fridges are locked and keys removed, maintaining security of the room which contains the controlled drugs key cabinet, as well as ensuring smart cards are removed and prescription paper removed from computers and printers when rooms are not in use.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Consider how to monitor and restrict unauthorised access to staff only areas.

  • Review arrangements for communicating with patients who are hard of hearing or who use hearing aids.

  • Consider recording full records of significant events including actions resulting from clinical discussions.

  • Consider coding all patients known to be vulnerable adults on the practices electronic records system and maintaining an up to date vulnerable adult risk register.

  • Consider creating an action plan around recommendations from the results of the Legionella risk assessment.

  • Review the arrangements for demonstrating why a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check has not been carried out prior to a member of staff commencing employment.

  • Review personnel files to ensure they contain evidence that a DBS check has been carried out when relevant.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice