The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Palace Road Surgery

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

3 Palace Road, Streatham Hill, London, SW2 3DY (020) 8674 2083

Provided and run by:
Palace Road Surgery

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

9 March 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Palace Road Surgery on 9 March 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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

  • Some risks to patients were assessed and well managed. However the cleanliness of the practice in some areas was unsatisfactory.

  • We found that consent was not always documented and that one of the audits the practice had completed did not aim to optimise patients in accordance with current NICE guidelines. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • 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 found it easy 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 must make improvements are:

Ensure that the practice provides and maintains a clean and appropriate environment that facilitates the prevention and control of infections.

Must ensure that there are appropriate systems in place for recording consent.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

Consider putting in place formalised care plans for service users where appropriate.

Review the practice’s clinical auditing process with a view to improving patient outcomes in accordance with national clinical guidance.

Ensure that all staff are aware of the location of emergency medicines and which medicines are available.

Ensure that a record is kept of staff inductions.

Consider advertising translation services in the reception area.

Consider undertaking a review of patients to verify why the prevalence of Coronary Heart Disease is lower than the national average.

Consider ways to increase the number of diabetic patients who receive a seasonal flu vaccination.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

14 February 2014

During a routine inspection

Most of the eight people we spoke with were positive about the care and treatment they received, they felt fortunate to have a regular team of staff they were familiar with. People told us they had no concerns about the practice and had confidence in the clinical staff who worked there.

One person said, 'the practice has a dedicated team of doctors who are committed to the practice, they know their patients and provide a professional, person-centred approach to treatment.'

Another person told us, 'we get used to the doctors and nurses here, and this works to our advantage, I have had the same doctor for the past twenty years, he is interested in my welfare, we are more than just a number in the practice.'

People told us they felt involved in making decisions about their care, and were mostly provided with and received clear information that helped them to understand the treatment and choices available.

There were mixed views regarding the availability of appointments. People told us they were able to get urgent treatment if they needed to as the walk in clinic was available weekday mornings.

Some people found it frustrating trying to get through by telephone as lines were busy, but the practice had another telephone line installed in January 2014 to address this problem.

Care and treatment was planned and delivered in way to ensure people's safety and welfare. Electronic records were maintained of people's care and treatment needs and of any follow up visits to a specialist. Systems were in place that identified and monitored people with chronic conditions. This helped ensure people at potential risk of deterioration in their health were responded to and treated promptly.