The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

The Ross Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Keats House, Bush Fair, Harlow, Essex, CM18 6LY (01279) 215354

Provided and run by:
The Ross Practice

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

The Ross Practice is a GP practice and delivers services to approximately 10,484 people under a contract held with NHS England. The National General Practice Profiles states that 83.8% of people are White, 5.1% are Asian, 6% are Black, 3.2% are Mixed and 1.8% are Other. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 5 decile (5 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others. 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.

 

15 December 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Ross Practice on 15 December 2015. 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, however not all staff had received dedicated infection control and prevention training.
  • 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 there was a delay if they wanted to make an appointment with a named GP. Urgent appointments were 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 practice obtained and acted upon feedback from the ‘Friends of the Ross Practice’ group. The ‘friends’ group supported the practice by raising money to buy equipment for the practice to use to benefit the patients. The practice was in the process of forming a PPG.
  • There was limited awareness of Duty of Candour, however the provider had plans to improve this awareness and staff we spoke with told us that they would highlight any concerns they had regarding service provision.

The area where the provider should make improvements is:

  • Ensure that any references accepted verbally are documented and the paperwork kept in the relevant staff member’s personnel file.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice