The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Summercroft Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Starts Hill Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 7AR (01689) 861098

Provided and run by:
Summercroft Surgery

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of Assessment: 28 May 2026. Summercroft Surgery is a GP practice and delivers services to approximately 9635 people under a contract held with NHS England. According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the service area is approximately 81.87% White, 9.67% Asian, 3.41% Mixed, 3.38% Black and 1.67% Other. Information published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows deprivation within the service population group is in the 10th decile (10 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the service population is relative to others.

This was a focused assessment. We undertook this assessment due to the length of time since our last assessment. We assessed 10 quality statements from across all 5 key questions. This assessment considered the demographics of the people using the service, the context the service was working within and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.

Staff kept facilities clean and maintained equipment appropriately to ensure people were kept safe. They assessed and managed the risk of infection well and took steps to control the risk of it spreading. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience.

Staff supported people to live healthier lives, monitoring their care and treatment to ensure they received positive and consistent outcomes.

Staff treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion, and respected their privacy and dignity.

People could access care, treatment and support when they needed it. Leaders and staff were alert to discrimination and inequality that could disadvantage groups of people who used the service and sought ways to address any barriers.

The service had a clear vision and strategy, which considered the needs of the people who used their service and the wider community. Staff understood their individual roles and responsibilities. Leaders accounted for the actions, behaviours and performance of staff through clear and effective governance processes.

31 October 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Summercroft Surgery on 9 June 2016. As a result of our findings during that visit the provider was rated as good overall and requires improvement for providing safe services. The full comprehensive inspection report from that visit was published on 2 August 2016 and can be read by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Summercroft Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

The provider submitted an action plan to tell us what they would do to make improvements and meet the legal requirements. We undertook an announced comprehensive follow-up inspection on 31 October 2017 to check that the provider had followed their plan, and to confirm that they had met the legal requirements. As a result of our findings the provider is rated good. 

Our key findings were as follows:

  • All staff had completed adult and child safeguarding training appropriate to their level.

  • The practice had carried out a Legionella risk assessment and infection control audit which had not been conducted at the previous comprehensive inspection.

  • The practice was able to demonstrate that they had obtained evidence of immunisation for several key staff which was not demonstrated at the pervious inspection.

  • The practice had carried out a health and safety risk assessment and fire assessment which had not been conducted at the previous inspection.

  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

  • Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Results from the national GP patient survey showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • 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.

  • Although there was a process in place for the collection of prescriptions some staff members were unsure of it.

  • Not all staff had undertaken role appropriate training, specifically infection control and information governance.

  • Communication was not effective, although regular staff meetings were conducted staff spoken to on the day were unsure of some systems and processes.

There were areas where the provider should make improvements.

The provider should:

  • Monitor action on processes and policy and also keep appropriate notes on patients’ files when deviating from policy or guidance.

  • Review training to ensure all staff members have completed role specific training.

  • Consider how best to ensure staff are aware of the practice’s prescription collection processes.

  • Continue to review and improve how patients with caring responsibilities are identified and recorded on the clinical system to ensure that information, advice and support is made available to them.

  • Conduct a risk assessment for emergency medicines.

  • Consider reviewing communication with staff with a view to make it more effective.

  • Continue to review patients access in relation to GP patient survey results.

  • Improve diabetes performance.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

09 June 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Summercroft Surgery on 09 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.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current, evidence-based guidance.
  • Staff had been trained to ensure they 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • Patients understood the appointments system and said they had access to care in a timely manner, including urgent appointments available on the same day. However, not all patients found it easy to make an appointment over the phone or with a named GP.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • Risks to patients were mainly assessed and were well managed. However, not all of the risks associated with the management of healthcare premises and infection control had been fully assessed and mitigated.
  • 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 must make improvement are:

  • Ensure that risks to staff and patients are fully assessed and mitigated. For example, the practice must address identified concerns with infection prevention and control at the practice including, but not limited to, waste management, monitoring systems and audits, and the protection of staff through appropriate immunisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Review the practice’s safeguarding training to ensure that it covers both children and adults, all staff are trained to an appropriate level for their role, and all staff are aware of their responsibilities

  • Review governance arrangements including systems for assessing and monitoring risks and the quality of the service provision.

  • Review the protocol for completing accurate, complete and detailed records relating to employment of staff. This includes keeping up to date evidence of registration with professional bodies.

  • Review how they identify carers to ensure their needs are met.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice