Background to this inspection
Updated
8 June 2021
The Circle Practice is located in Harrow at:
Belmont Health Centre
516 Kenton Lane
Harrow
Middlesex
HA3 7LT
The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, maternity and midwifery services, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury and surgical procedures.
The practice is situated within the Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and delivers Personal Medical Services (PMS) to a patient population of about 8,500. This is part of a contract held with NHS England.
There is a team of four GP partners, a salaried GP, an enhanced practice nurse, two practice nurses, a healthcare assistant, a practice manager, a deputy practice manager, and a team of eight reception / administrative staff. The practice is supported by a pharmacist who works for the primary care network.
Due to the enhanced infection prevention and control measures put in place since the pandemic and in line with the national guidance, most GP appointments were telephone consultations. If the GP needed to see a patient face-to-face then the patient was offered an appointment at the practice.
Updated
8 June 2021
We carried out a review of The Circle Practice on 28 April 2021. Overall, the practice is rated as Good.
Safe - Good
Effective - Good
Caring - Good
Responsive - Good
Well-led - Good
Following our previous inspection on 15 August 2019 the practice was rated Good overall and for the key questions safe, caring, responsive and well led and for four of the population groups (Older people; People with long-term conditions; Working age people; and People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable). The practice was rated Requires improvement for providing effective services and for the population groups Families, children and young people and People experiencing poor mental health.
The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Circle Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we carried out this review
This review was a focused review of information without undertaking a site visit to follow up on:
- Uptake rates for childhood immunisations
- Quality and outcomes framework data for mental health indicators
- Staff training for health and safety and equality and diversity
- Process for reviewing unplanned admissions
How we carried out the review
Throughout the pandemic CQC has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our reviews differently.
This review was carried out by requesting documentary evidence from the provider and without visiting the location.
Our findings
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider and other organisations
We have rated this practice as Good for providing effective services and for the population groups Families, children and young people and People experiencing poor mental health.
We found that:
- The practice had improved the systems for monitoring uptake rates for childhood immunisations. Data showed uptake rates had improved, although they remained below the national target.
- Outcomes for mental health indicators were in line with local and national averages.
- Health and safety and equality and diversity training had been undertaken by all staff.
- The practice had improved their processes for reviewing unplanned admissions.
In addition;
- Clinical staff had received updated safeguarding children and adults training relevant to their role.
- Since the last inspection the practice’s cervical screening uptake rates had marginally increased from 61% in 2018/19, to 62% in 2019/20 (Public Health England data). There was then a gradual decrease in uptake rates to 58% in 2020. However, we have taken into account that cervical screening has been adversely affected during the current pandemic. We were also provided with evidence that the practice had made efforts to improve the call / recall system for eligible patients.
Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:
- Continue to improve childhood immunisation and cervical screening uptake rates
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care