The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Drs Askey and Partners Also known as St John's Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

High Street, Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands, WS9 9LP (01543) 364500

Provided and run by:
Drs Askey and Partners

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

10 August 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a focused inspection at Drs Askey and Partners also known as St John Medical Centre on 10 August 2016. The practice had previously been inspected in November 2015 and was rated as good overall and requires improvement for providing safe services.

At this previous inspection we found that the provider did not operate effective recruitment procedures that ensured the information required under current legislation was available in respect of all staff employed to work at the practice, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for clinical staff. The practice were issued with a requirement notice for improvement for this issue.

Following the inspection the practice sent us an action plan detailing the action they were going to take to improve. They are as followes;

  • Members of staff who undertake a chaperone role should develop the competencies required for the role.

  • Ensure a clear audit trail is kept for paper prescriptions taken for home visits

  • Consider how they effectively monitor and record staff training and recruitment information so that information is easily accessible and can be acted on.

We then carried out a focused inspection to ensure that the practice had actioned the area for improvement. Evidence provided during the inspection showed that the practice had made the required improvements; therefore the practice is rated as good for providing safe services.

Our key findings across the area we inspected were as follows:

  • The practice had established systems, processes and practices to keep patients safe and safeguarded by carrying out appropriate recruitment checks.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. For example the practice established a system for tracking the use of prescriptions stationery within the practice.
  • Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment. There were systems in place to alert the practice when training updates were required.
  • Members of staff who undertake chaperone duties received sufficient training required for this role.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

13 November 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs Askey and Partners on 13 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to require improvement for providing safe services. We found the practice to be rated good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well led services.

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

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise safety concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Risks to patients were assessed and managed, with the exception of the management of prescriptions taken for home visits and risks associated with staff who do not have a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check in place. 
  • 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.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • 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.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on

We saw an area of outstanding practice:

  • A GP at the practice had a local and national lead role in diabetes care. There was evidence that their leadership had a positive impact on the management, treatment and outcomes for diabetes across the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and this was improving outcomes for patients. A CCG is an NHS organisation that brings together local GPs and experienced health professionals to take on commissioning responsibilities for local health services.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

  • Operate effective recruitment procedures and ensure that the information required under current legislation is available in respect of all staff employed to work at the practice. This must include Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for clinical staff. Undertake risk assessments when appointing staff with a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check from a previous employer and non clinical staff who do not have a DBS check in place which considers risk such as if the staff member is left unattended with patients.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Members of staff who undertake a chaperone role should develop the competencies required for the role.
  • Ensure a clear audit trail is kept for paper prescriptions taken for home visits
  • Consider how they effectively monitor and record staff training and recruitment information so that information is easily accessible and can be acted on.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice