The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

The Wapping Group Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

22 Wapping Lane, London, E1W 2RL (020) 7481 9376

Provided and run by:
The Wapping Group 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 Wapping Group 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 Wapping Group Practice, you can give feedback on this service.

6 December 2019

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about The Wapping Group Practice on 6 December 2019. 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.

09/10/2018

During an inspection looking at part of the service

This practice is rated as Good overall.

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services well-led? - Good

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of The Wapping Group Practice on 23 November 2017. We rated the practice as good overall, and as requires improvement for the well-led key question. The full comprehensive report of the 23 November 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Wapping Group Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

We carried out this focused inspection on 9 October 2018 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was now providing well-led care.

At the inspection on 9 October 2018, the provider had made improvements and is now rated as good for providing well-led services.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice had taken action to improve communication with patients who have a hearing impairment. They had submitted a request to NHS Property Services to install a hearing loop and had alerts on the computer system to identify patients with hearing difficulties to reception staff.
  • The data for 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018 for prescription items for co-amoxiclav, cephalosporins and quinolones as a percentage of the total number of prescription items for selected antibacterial drugs was above the national average (14% for the practice, compared to 8.7% nationally). This indicates higher antibiotic prescribing on the part of the practice. The practice had previously completed a two cycle audit in 2016 to reduce antibiotic prescribing, but was not aware of the recent data.
  • Clinical and non-clinical staff were positive about the culture of the practice.
  • Leaders were visible and approachable.
  • We saw evidence of regular staff meetings which involved clinical and non-clinical members of staff.
  • Staff felt able to raise concerns, were encouraged to do so, and were confident that these would be addressed.
  • Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Review the level of antibiotic prescribing for the practice.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence table for further information.

23 November 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 The Wapping Group Practice on 9 June 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. The full comprehensive report on the 9 June 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Wapping Group Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 23 November 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the issues that we identified in our previous inspection on 9 June 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

At this inspection we found that the communication within the practice was poor and fractions within the practice leadership led to low staff morale and poor staff engagement. Consequently, the practice is now rated inadequate for providing well led services. The practice remains rated good overall.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • There was not a clear leadership structure and staff did not feel supported by management. There was evidence of systemic problems such as breakdowns in working relationships and a division of loyalty between staff at all levels.
  • Staff told us there was not open culture within the practice and when they raised any issues at team meetings they did not feel confident and supported in doing so.
  • The practice had reviewed their safeguarding children and adult policy and whilst the adult policy was brief they were both in line with national guidelines.
  • The practice had ensured that there was an effective system to track blank prescriptions through the practice in line with national guidance.
  • The practice had carried out a fire risk assessment and actions identified have been carried out in line with regulation.
  • The practice had developed a comprehensive business continuity plan for major incidents such as power failure or building damage.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • Translation services were advertised in the patient waiting areas and there was a Multilingual Automated Arrivals unit for patients to self-check in.
  • The practice proactively sought feedback from patients, which it acted on. But staff did not feel involved in the running of the practice.
  • The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Consider how to improve communication with patients who have a hearing impairment.
  • Consider the arrangements for planning and monitoring the number and mix of staff needed.
  • Review communications in the practice to ensure they include all staff.
  • The practice needs to formalise the leadership structure and ensure there is appropriate leadership capacity to deliver the service, including addressing staff issues such as interpersonal issues.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

09/06/2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Wapping Group Practice on 9 June 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.
  • Although risks to patients were assessed and managed, on the day of our inspection the practice could not provide a health and safety or a fire risk assessment undertaken by NHS Property Services. The fire risk assessment was provided after the inspection and included an action plan but there was no evidence to indicate that actions had been taken to address the improvements identified.
  • 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and 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 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:

  • Review the practice’s safeguarding children and adult policy.
  • Ensure there is an effective system to track blank prescriptions through the practice in line with national guidance.
  • Ensure all risk assessments and actions identified have been carried out in line with regulation.
  • Review the business continuity plan.
  • Consider improving communication with patients who have a hearing impairment.
  • Ensure written complaint responses include all patient information in line with national guidance.
  • Advertise translation services in the patient waiting areas.
  • Formulate a written strategy to deliver the practice’s vision.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice