The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Grosvenor Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

23 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2DX (01892) 544777

Provided and run by:
Grosvenor Medical Centre

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

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

5 December 2019

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Grosvenor Medical Centre on 5 December 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.

15 June 2017

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Grosvenor Medical Centre on 13 October 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services and rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. The full comprehensive report on the October 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Grosvenor Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 15 June 2017, to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements, in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 13 October 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice remains rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • Records showed that all staff were trained to the appropriate level in safeguarding and relevant staff were up to date with infection prevention and control training.
  • Records showed that all staff who acted as chaperones had received a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (DBS checks identify whether a person has a criminal record or is on an official list of people barred from working in roles where they may have contact with children or adults who may be vulnerable).
  • The practice carried out annual audits of infection control and implemented improvements where these were identified.
  • There was a system for monitoring and recording blank prescription pads and forms at the practice.
  • The practice was able to demonstrate that they were carrying out all necessary recruitment checks prior to employing staff.
  • The practice was able to demonstrate that risks to patients, staff and visitors from fire were being assessed and well managed. Records showed a legionella risk assessment had been carried out by an external company on 14 June 2017. Legionella is a germ found in the environment which can contaminate water systems in buildings). However, the practice had yet to receive the results or address any issues identified.
  • The practice had introduced a system that helped ensure all staff received mandatory training and had annual appraisals.
  • Privacy in the treatment room had been improved by the use of a screen around the examination couch.
  • The practice had implemented measures to increase the number of patients who were known to be carers and had now identified 153 patients as carers (2% of the practice list).

The area where the provider should make improvements is:

  • On receipt of the legionella risk assessment results the practice should develop and implement an action plan to address any issues identified.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

13 October 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Grosvenor Medical Centre on 13 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.
  • Risks to patients were not always assessed and well managed. For example, fire and electrical safety assessments were out of date; some staff had been employed without appropriate pre-employment checks and the practice was unable to demonstrate that all staff were trained to the appropriate level in safeguarding.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. The practice carried out audits and used the results to improve services to patients.
  • The practice was unable to provide records to show that all staff had received appropriate training required to carry out their roles. However, staff told us that they had access to appropriate training and gave examples of recent training they had received.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Feedback from patients about their care was consistently positive.
  • 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.
  • The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group. For example they had introduced a text message appointment reminder service.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. The practice actively reviewed complaints and how they are managed and responded to. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • The practice had strong and visible clinical and managerial leadership 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.

We saw the following area of outstanding practice:

  • The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 98%, which was higher than the CCG average of 84% and the national average of 82%.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

  • Ensure that all staff are trained to the appropriate level in safeguarding.
  • Ensure that reference checks are carried out prior to appointing members of staff.

In addition the provider should:

  • Ensure regular fire, electrical safety and legionella risk assessments are carried out
  • Carry out regular audits of infection prevention and control.
  • Record the serial numbers of blank prescriptions that are allocated to staff.
  • Ensure all emergency equipment including defibrillator pads are in date and fit for use.
  • Ensure that, where members of staff require Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, these are carried out prior to appointment.
  • Ensure staff training records are up to date and demonstrate that staff have received training appropriate to their roles and continue their programme of annual staff appraisals.
  • Improve patient privacy in the treatment room.
  • Revise the system that identifies patients who are also carers to help ensure that all patients on the practice list who are carers are offered relevant support if required.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

19 May 2014

During a routine inspection

Grosvenor Medical Centre provides primary medical services for patients in Tunbridge Wells. The practice has seven general practitioners (GPs), six of whom form the partnership that manages the practice.

The practice has a single site at 23 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2DX.

As part of the inspection we talked with the local Clinical Commissioning Group, the local Healthwatch, members of the Patient Participation Group, 18 patients who were at the practice on the day of the inspection, GPs, clinical staff and administrative staff at the practice. We received six responses to the comments cards that were available at the surgery during our visit, all the comments were complimentary about the care and treatment.

Patients we spoke with were very satisfied with the care and treatment they had received and told us that they felt involved in their care. The patients spoke very highly of the GPs, the nursing staff and the receptionists.

We found that there processes were in place to learn from significant events. The clinical results of the practice showed very good patient outcomes and a range of clinical audit was undertaken. We saw that GPs and staff were kind and caring. The practice had an effective patient participation group. The leadership had mechanisms to allow staff to contribute to the running of the practice.

There were services for older patients provided by the GPs and the practice nurses which met their needs. There were services for patients with long term conditions provided by the GPs and specialist clinics which met their needs. There was quality information available to them to maintain as healthy a lifestyle as possible. There was a range of clinics and services for mothers, babies, children and young patients including well woman clinics and child health clinics. Patients of working age or recently retired had services which were available to them in that there was an evening surgery one a day a week. GPs had telephone appointments for those who might not be able to attend during the standard working day. The practice regularly provided services to the homeless. There was a sustained improvement in outcomes for those with mental health problems.