The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Crawcrook Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Pattinson Drive, Ryton, Tyne and Wear, NE40 4US (0191) 413 5473

Provided and run by:
Crawcrook Surgery

All Inspections

20 July 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

On 3 March 2016 we carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Crawcrook Medical Centre which included an inspection of the branch surgery, known as Greenside Surgery. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement, having being judged as requires improvement for Safe, Effective and Responsive. The full comprehensive report on the September 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Crawcrook Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

After the comprehensive inspection the practice wrote to us to say what they would do to meet the following legal requirements set out in the Health and Social Care Act (HSCA) 2008:

  • Regulation 12 Health & Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment.

  • Regulation 18 Health & Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014 Staffing

This announced comprehensive inspection was carried out on the 20 July 2017 in order to review the action taken by the practice to be compliant with the regulations. Overall the practice is now rated as good.

  • The practice had taken steps to address the concerns we had identified during out previous inspection in relation to the provision of safe, effective and responsive services.

  • The provider had entered into a partnership arrangement with a not for profit healthcare support organisation who represent 31 local GP practices to aid and support improvement within the practice. Improvements had included employing additional clinical and non-clinical staff, reviewing the appointment system and the centralisation of some medicines management and back office functions.

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents and near misses.

  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • There was evidence of quality improvement and clinical audit activity leading to improvements in patient care and outcomes.
  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
  • Staff were consistent and proactive in supporting patients to live healthier lives through health promotion and signposting to relevant support services. The practice hosted counsellors from mental health and drug and alcohol support services on a weekly basis.
  • Information was provided to patients to help them understand the care and treatment available.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • The practice had a system in place for handling complaints and concerns and responded quickly to any complaints.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a leadership structure in place and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which they acted on.
  • The practice was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour regulation.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements. Importantly, the provider should:

  • Continue to monitor and improve access to services and appointment availability.

  • Assure themselves that clinical staff have undertaken appropriate training in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty standards (DoLS).

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

3 March 2016

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Crawcrook Medical Centre on 3 March 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • The practice carried out clinical audit activity and were able to demonstrate improvements to patient care as a result of this.
  • The majority of patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
  • Same day emergency appointments were usually available.
  • The practice had a number of policies and procedures to govern activity, which were reviewed and updated regularly
  • The practice had proactively sought feedback from patients and had an active patient participation group.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • The practice was aware of patient dissatisfaction in respect of the appointment system and access to appointments but were taking steps to try and improve.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly, the provider must:

  • Ensure the nursing staff are given the opportunity of an annual appraisal
  • Ensure that there is a risk assessment in place detailing why it is not felt to be necessary to have a defibrillator or oxygen at the branch surgery.

The provider should also:

  • Continue to monitor appointment availability and the effectiveness of the appointment system
  • Satisfy themselves that all staff have received the appropriate level of safeguarding training
  • Revise their policy to ensure that disposable privacy curtains are replaced every six months or sooner if visibly stained or dirty
  • Continue with their plans to change and improve the culture of the practice

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice