Background to this inspection
Updated
11 June 2021
Abercromby Family Practice is located in Liverpool, Merseyside at:
Grove Street
Edge Hill
Liverpool
Merseyside
L7 7HG
The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, maternity and midwifery services and treatment of disease, disorder or injury and surgical procedures.
The practice is situated within the Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and delivers General Medical Services (GMS) to a patient population of about 6,900. This is part of a contract held with NHS England.
The practice is part of Liverpool Central Primary Care Network a wider network of GP practices.
Information published by Public Health England report deprivation within the practice population group as 1 on a scale of 1 to 10. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level 10 the lowest.
The practice has a higher number of working age people and a lower number of older people registered than the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and England average. The practice caters for patients experiencing a long-standing health care condition, 47.6% compared to the local average of 55.4% and a national average of 52.4%.
The age distribution of the practice population closely mirrors the local and national averages. There are more male patients registered at the practice compare to females.
The practice has a clinical team of thirteen GPs (two partners, five salaried GPs, three GP registrars and three regular locums), a practice nurse and associate nurse practitioner who provide nurse led clinics for long term conditions. They are supported at the practice by a practice manager, assistant practice manager, two health care assistants, two clinical pharmacists and a team of reception and administration staff.
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 needs to see a patient face-to-face, then a face-to-face appointment is offered. Home visits are available for housebound patients or patients who are too ill to go to the practice.
Out of hours services are provided by Primary Care 24.
Updated
11 June 2021
Following our previous inspection on 11 February 2020, the practice was rated Good overall and for all key questions except Requires Improvement for providing safe services:
We carried out an announced review at Abercromby Family Practice on 6 May 2021. Overall, the practice is rated as Good.
The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Abercromby Family Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we carried out this review
This review was a follow-up review of information without undertaking a site visit inspection to assess the key question – Safe.
We reviewed the breaches identified at the last inspection of Regulation 19 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Fit and proper persons. The regulation was not being met because:
- The registered person’s recruitment procedures did not ensure that potential employees had the necessary qualifications, competence, skills and experience before starting work. In particular: Full recruitment checks had not taken place for two temporary staff members including applications, interviews or references.
We also reviewed the areas where the previous inspection identified that the provider should make an improvement by:
- Regularly review and update policies, to contain all the information required to support staff to safeguard patients.
- All members of the clinical team should complete safeguarding training to a level appropriate to their role.
- Review the maintenance and protocols for relevant equipment to meet infection control requirements and include this in the infection control audit.
- Review and update protocols for blank prescriptions to maintain security and safety and monitor that these processes are embedded.
- Continue to review and monitor the data that falls below the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and national averages.
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 included:
- Reviewing action plans sent to us by the provider
- Requesting evidence from the provider
- Speaking with the practice using video conferencing
Our findings
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- what we found when we inspected
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
We did not change the overall rating for this service following our review.
We found that:
- The breach of Regulation 19 fit and proper person had been addressed and staff recruitment changes had been made to policy and procedure.
- Clinical staff had the appropriate safeguarding training level to their role.
- There were effective arrangements for identifying, managing and mitigating risks.
- Changes were made to protocols for blank prescription security and safety.
- Data that fell below the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and national averages was reviewed, monitored and actions taken to make improvements.
- Policies had been reviewed and updated to contain all the information required to support staff to safeguard patients.
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