The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Long Furlong Medical Partnership Also known as Long Furlong Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

45 Loyd Close, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1XR (01235) 522379

Provided and run by:
Long Furlong Medical Partnership

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Long Furlong Medical Partnership 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 Long Furlong Medical Partnership, you can give feedback on this service.

10 July 2019

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Long Furlong Medical Partnership on 10 July 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.

31 May 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr E. A. Allan & Partners on 29 September 2016. The practice was rated as inadequate for well led, requires improvement for safe and effective and good for caring and responsive. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the September 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr E. A. Allan & Partners on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

An announced comprehensive inspection was undertaken on 31 May 2017. We found significant improvements and overall the practice is now rated as good. Specifically, we have rated the practice good for the provision of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. All population groups have also been rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety. In particular, the practice had reviewed how safety alerts were received into the practice, had clarified the role of the chaperone and who could undertake these duties, reviewed the training requirements and updates for staff, ensured blank prescriptions were stored and logged appropriately, had purchased data loggers for the fridges, commenced recording all samples sent for cervical screening and ensured patient group directions were administered in line with current legislation.
  • 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.
  • Patients we spoke with said they were able to make an appointment with a named GP, although the waiting time could be up to six weeks. 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 provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

However, there was one area of practice where the provider should make improvements;

  • Ensure carer status of patients is clearly indicated to clinicians.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

29 September 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr E A Allan & Partners on 29 September 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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

  • There was a lack of systems for ensuring the governance of the practice to protect staff and patients. For example, there was no system to identify that the vaccine storage fridges had gone out of the temperature range. Staff were not up to date with training and this had not been acted upon.
  • Policies and procedures were not always followed accordingly.
  • Risks to patients were inconsistently assessed and managed, including those relating to management of vaccines and staff safeguarding training.
  • There was an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Non-clinical staff and GPs advised us that the reception staff would act as a chaperone, although the practice manager told us that only clinical staff would chaperone. The staff knowledge of chaperone duties was not sufficient to protect patients.
  • The practice had systems, processes and practices in place to keep patients safeguarded from abuse. However, although staff we spoke to during the inspection were aware of safeguarding procedures, not all staff were up to date with safeguarding training.
  • All staff had received inductions but not all staff had evidence of completed training and ongoing registration with appropriate governing bodies.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
  • Information about services was available in a format to enable everybody to understand and access it.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • The practice provides medical services to an all boys’ boarding school (around 700 pupils) and during term time holds a daily surgery (Monday to Friday) at the medical centre. Part of the service offered is pitch side care during interschool matches. The practice started out with basic equipment but have developed this and now have a fully equipped buggy with stretcher, spinal board, splints, oxygen, Entonox and a defibrillator. The school now insist that the schools they play have a similar level of care at the away fixtures.
  • The system for dealing with safety alerts allowed for timely and thorough communication to all staff. Actions identified were documented. However, the most recent alert from 6 September, which was relevant to the practice, had not been identified or actioned.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

  • Ensure governance arrangements are appropriate in all areas of the practice. For example, for management of patient group directions.
  • Ensure there is a system in place to action and mitigate the risks to patients if a vaccine cold chain breach occurs.
  • Ensure all staff that chaperone have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in place and appropriate training before commencing chaperone duties.
  • Ensure all staff complete training relevant to their role and continue to have regular updates.
  • Ensure there is a failsafe system to ensure results are received for all samples sent for the cervical screening programme.
  • Ensure blank prescription stationery is stored securely and distribution monitored within the practice in accordance with current guidelines.
  • Ensure all safety alerts are actioned and appropriate records are maintained to mitigate risks to service users.
  • Ensure a system is in place to identify whether staff are registered with an appropriate governing body on an ongoing basis.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice