The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Dr Ammar Ahmad Also known as The Elms Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Elms Surgery, 36 The Avenue, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 4NT (01923) 224203

Provided and run by:
Dr Ammar Ahmad

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

All Inspections

19 January 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Ammar Ahmad on 19 January 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • The practice undertook appropriate recruitment checks including references and professional registration checks.
  • The practice had a comprehensive business continuity plan in place for major incidents.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with 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.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • 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 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 practice offered extended hours appointments, including weekend appointments through the Watford Care Alliance.

The areas where the provider should improvements are:

  • Continue to identify and support carers in their patient population.
  • Ensure improvement to childhood immunisations and cervical screening rates.
  • Continue to monitor and ensure improvement to the results from the national GP patient survey.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

5 February 2014

During a routine inspection

During our inspection we spoke with five patients face to face, two by telephone and four members of staff.

Patients told us they were spoken with respectfully by staff. A patient told us: "They have always been great. They have always been really good". Patients said that staff ensured their privacy was respected when they needed an examination.

We saw that patients' views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was provided and that they were treated with dignity and respect. The patients we spoke with provided positive feedback about their care. A patient told us: "I am absolutely satisfied". Patients received their medicines when they needed them.

Staff had received training in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. They were aware of the appropriate agencies to refer safeguarding concerns to that ensured patients were protected from harm.

We found that staff had received appropriate training for the roles they carried out. They also had regular appraisals. This meant that they had been adequately assessed regarding their competency.

The provider had an established system in place for monitoring the quality of service provision. There was an established system to regularly obtain opinions from patients about the standards of the services they received. This meant that on-going improvements could be made by the practice staff.