We carried out a review of the data available to us about Fairhill Medical Practice 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 Fairhill Medical Practice, you can give feedback on this service.
We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Fairhill Medical Practice on 31 August 2016. The overall rating for the practice was Good. However the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing effective services due to having higher than expected levels of exception reporting (the removal of patients from QOF calculations where, for example, the patients are unable to attend a review meeting or certain medicines cannot be prescribed because of side effects) under the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF). The full comprehensive report can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Fairhill Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
This inspection was an announced focussed inspection carried out on 25 May 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to make the required improvements we identified in our previous inspection. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made.
Overall the practice is now rated as Good.
Our key findings were as follows:
The practice had reviewed the levels of and processes for exception reporting, and had taken steps to improve outcomes for patients.
Although the most recent published data from 2015/16 showed that the practice exception reporting rate was still higher than local and national averages in some areas, unpublished data for 2016/17 indicated that the exception reporting had decreased in a number of clinical areas.
Up to date risk assessments for health and safety, infection control and fire safety were in place, and were subject to monitoring and review.
The practice had increased the regularity of non-clinical staff meetings.
Information about how to complain was on display at the practice.
The area where the provider should make improvements are:
Continue to review and monitor recently implemented initiatives to improve exception reporting of patients in the cervical screening programme, in order to improve these measures in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
At this inspection we found that although the practice was still below local and national averages for exception reporting under the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for some measures, evidence was seen that changes had been undertaken to reach more of these patients. This included patients with conditions such as coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia and rheumatoid arthritis. Consequently, the practice is now rated as good for providing effective services, and remains good overall.
Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 31 August 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
Data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) showed that in 2014/2015 patient outcomes were in line with local and national averages; however their exception reporting rate was higher than expected for some indicators.
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
Review its levels of and processes for exception reporting and take all necessary steps to improve outcomes for patients.
Carry out regular risk assessments for health and safety, infection control fire safety in line with practice policy, and monitor and review actions arising.
Review the regularity of non clinical staff meetings.
Chief Inspector of General Practice