The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Dr Karim & Dr James-Authe

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

46 Wyresdale Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 4DN (01204) 494133

Provided and run by:
Dr Karim & Dr James-Authe

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of Assessment: 22 July 2026. Dr Karim Dr James-Authe is a GP practice and delivers services to 4,190 people under a contract held with NHS England. The National General Practice Profiles states that the ethnic make-up of the service area is 56% White, 34.3% Asian, 2.7% Mixed, 4.6% Black and 2.4% Other. Information published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows deprivation within the service population group is in the 2nd decile (2 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the service population is relative to others.

This was a focused assessment. We undertook this assessment due to the length of time since our last assessment. We assessed 10 quality statements from across all 5 key questions. This assessment considered the demographics of the people using the service, the context the service was working within and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.

Staff kept facilities clean and maintained equipment appropriately to ensure people were kept safe. They assessed and managed the risk of infection well and took steps to control the risk of it spreading. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience.

Staff supported people to live healthier lives, monitoring their care and treatment to ensure they received positive and consistent outcomes.

Staff treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion, and respected their privacy and dignity.

People could access care, treatment and support when they needed it. Leaders and staff were alert to discrimination and inequality that could disadvantage groups of people who used the service and sought ways to address any barriers.

The service had a clear vision and strategy, which considered the needs of the people who used their service and the wider community. Staff understood their individual roles and responsibilities. Leaders accounted for the actions, behaviours and performance of staff through clear and effective governance processes.

To Be Confirmed

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This is a focused desk top review of evidence supplied by Dr Karim and Dr James-Authe for areas within the key question safe that required improvement following our full comprehensive inspection under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. At that inspection on 17 March 2016, the practice was rated good overall. However, within the key question safe, there were areas identified as requiring improvement, as the practice was not meeting the legislation at that time. The areas where the provider was told they must make improvements were as follows :

  • Regulation 12 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment. The practice had a fire safety policy, fire risk assessments and had appointed two trained fire marshals. Whilst it was evident that requirements identified in the fire risk assessment for the Wyresdale Road surgery had been completed this was not the case at the Halliwell Road branch surgery. The fire risk assessment for the Halliwell Road branch surgery (conducted in June 2015) included the requirements to install a fire alarm, smoke detectors and emergency lighting at the premises. We were informed and saw evidence that these requirements were in the process of being addressed within a month of our visit. Whilst we acknowledge the provider was committed to address the risks in respect of fire safety they must take action to ensure they reduce or remove the risks within a timescale that reflects the level of risks on people who use the services. Regulation 12(2)(d)

  • Regulation 12 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment. At the time of our visit oxygen was not available for emergency use at the Wyresdale Road surgery or the Halliwell Road branch surgery. Oxygen is considered essential in dealing with certain medical emergencies. The provider must ensure that oxygen is available for emergency use when planning and delivering care and, where appropriate, treatment in such a way as to ensure the welfare and safety of patients. Regulation 12(2)(h)

This is a focused desk top review of evidence supplied by Dr Karim and Dr James-Authe for the areas of improvement identified within the key question safe. We received and assessed documentation to evidence that the practice had carried out their plan and now met the required level in relation to breaches in Regulation 12.

The overall rating for the practice remains as good and the practice is now rated as good for being safe. Our key findings were as follows:

  • A Legionella Risk Assessment was completed on

  • A fire risk assessment was completed on

  • Actions relating to fire safety were carried out. Health and safety checks were undertaken.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

17/03/2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Karim & Dr James-Authe on 17 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt 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 must make improvement are:

Whilst we acknowledge the provider was committed to address the risks in respect of fire safety they must take action to ensure they reduce or remove the risks within a timescale that reflects the level of risks on people who use the services.

The provider must ensure that oxygen is available for emergency use when planning and delivering care and, where appropriate, treatment in such a way as to ensure the welfare and safety of patients.

A risk assessment had not been conducted in respect of assessing the potential risk from legionella (a bacterium which can contaminate water systems in buildings). We saw evidence that formal arrangements had been made for a legionella risk assessment to be conducted in the month following our visit.

We identified one area where the provider should make improvement:

We noted that consultation rooms at both locations were situated on the ground and first floors. There was no passenger lift at either premises. Therefore the practice accommodated patients with a disability or who found it difficult to negotiate stairs in the consultation rooms on the ground floors. We are of the view that the practice should consider extending this arrangement for patients attending their children’s vaccination clinics. The current arrangement means that parents and children have to go up quite steep stairs for vaccines to be administered before descending again to see a GP.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice