The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Preston Hill Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

121 Preston Hill, Kenton, Harrow, Middlesex, HA3 9SN (020) 8905 0894

Provided and run by:
Aksyr Medical Practice

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

All Inspections

2 May 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 on 10 March 2016 at Preston Hill Surgery. At that inspection the practice was rated good overall. However we rated the safety of the service as requires improvement. This was because the practice could not demonstrate it had carried out all necessary recruitment checks prior to new members of staff starting work at the practice. The practice was also unable to show us evidence of the fire safety checks it carried out. The full comprehensive report of the 10 March 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Preston Hill Surgery our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was a desk-based review undertaken on 2 May 2017 to check that the practice had addressed the requirements identified in our previous inspection. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also outlines some additional improvements made since our previous inspection.

Overall the practice remains rated as good. Following this desk-based review, we have revised the practice’s rating for safe services. The practice is rated good for providing safe services.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice was demonstrated that all employed staff had undergone appropriate recruitment checks before starting work at the practice.
  • The practice provided evidence of weekly fire safety monitoring checks and six monthly fire drills.

The practice had made some other improvements since our previous inspection:

  • The practice had significantly increased the number of patients identified as carers. The practice had now identified 191 patients who were carers (that is, 3% of the patient list). It had done this through carrying out a systematic audit of patient contacts, a programme of staff training and developing links with the local carers centre.
  • The practice had set up a patient reference group since our previous inspection. The practice told us of recent actions taken in response to patient feedback which included increasing the number of sessions offered by a male GP and installing an electronic check-in system and patient display board in the waiting room.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

10 March 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Preston Hill Surgery on 10 March 2016. 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events. The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and managed.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. The practice had expanded the range of services available to patients. The practice was aware of its performance and taking action to identify and improve.
  • Patients commented they were treated with care and concern and it was easy to obtain an appointment. Urgent appointments were available the same day.
  • Patients could consult a male or female GP. The practice team spoke a number of languages and a translation service was available.
  • The practice had good facilities and was equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. The practice provided in house phlebotomy and was able to refer patients to its sister practice for a greater range of clinics and services.
  • There was a clear leadership structure, an open culture and staff said they were well supported and encouraged to develop in their roles. The practice proactively sought feedback from patients, which it acted on.

Information about services was available and improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

The practice was keen to engage patients and had set up regular 'over 75s tea' meetings. The practice used these meetings to obtain feedback on the service but also as an opportunity to provide health advice on subjects of interest, for example on carers support and dementia and as a way of tackling social isolation of older people in the local community.

However there were areas where the practice must make improvements:

  • The practice must be able to provide evidence that all necessary recruitment checks have been carried out prior to employing new staff.

Additionally the practice should:

  • Continue to work with the patient participation group to improve patient satisfaction scores on the national patient survey.
  • Assess its capacity to provide a responsive service to a large cohort of patients with complex needs and to engage effectively with care home staff and managers.
  • Continue its efforts to identify carers with the aim of increasing the number of identified carers who receive appropriate support.
  • Keep written records to show that all emergency equipment including the fire alarms are tested and check that fire safety protocols are understood and being followed.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice