The Care Quality Commission
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  • GP practice

Archived: Churchwood Medical Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Tilebarn Road, St Leonards On Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9QU (01424) 853888

Provided and run by:
Churchwood Medical Practice

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

All Inspections

3 November 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Churchwood Medical Practice on 3 November 2015. 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. Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report significant events. Such information about safety was recorded, monitored, reviewed and appropriate action taken.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • 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. They received training appropriate to their roles.
  • 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.
  • Urgent and some booked appointments were available on the 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 very well 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 areas where the provider should show improvement are:

Ensure that PAT testing is carried out.

Ensure that a Legionella risk assessment is completed.

Continue to assess and respond to feedback from patients and staff in respect to access to appointments and customer service.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

28 January 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook this inspection visit to review action taken to ensure compliance with regulation 11 and 23 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

We spoke with a selection of staff that included a practice nurse, two receptionists, the deputy practice manager, the practice manager and the principal GP.

We looked at the systems the provider had in place to ensure that people were safeguarded against the risk of abuse. We reviewed the training and support systems that the provider had established. To ensure staff were appropriately enabled to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

We found that the improvements needed to achieve compliance with these regulations had been made. We found that people were protected from the risk of abuse and people were cared for by staff who were well supported and trained.

17 September 2013

During a routine inspection

This inspection visit was undertaken by two compliance inspectors.

We spoke with five patients who had attended the practice on the day of the inspection. We spoke with two of the GPs, a registrar undertaking their GP training, a receptionist, a practice nurse and the practice manager.

Patients told us that when they accessed the clinical staff they were happy with the care they were given. However, they did tell us that getting an appointment when you wanted one was 'difficult.' Patients told us that their privacy and dignity was well respected, they had time to discuss their health care issues, and had been fully involved in making decisions about their care and treatment.

Comments received included 'I am very happy with the care provided by the doctors and nurses.' Another patient said, 'When you see the doctor they are very good, kind and understanding.'

We looked at the processes that the practice had in place to ensure the patients were protected from abuse. These processes had not ensured that all staff received appropriate training on all safeguarding issues. Staff spoken with understood that any suspicion of abuse needed to be reported.

Staff told us that they had training and development opportunities and told us they were well supported by the provider.

The practice had procedures in place to review the quality of the service provided. These processes had ensured information provided was used to improve the service.