Background to this inspection
Updated
11 November 2021
East Cliff Medical Practice is located in Ramsgate, Kent at:
The Montefiore Medical Centre,
Dumpton Park Drive,
Ramsgate,
Kent,
CT11 8AD
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 Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and delivers General Medical Services (GMS) to a patient population of about 15, 730. However, their patient population is weighted to account for 17,297 patients under their contract held with NHS England. Their patient population continues to grow.
The practice is part of a wider network of GP practices and a member of the Ramsgate Primary Care Network.
Information published by Public Health England shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the third lowest decile (three of ten). The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others.
According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the practice area is 95.4% white, 2.03% Asian, 0.63% Black, 1.73% Mixed, 0.22% Other.
On the day of the visit there were 11 GPs in post. An additional GP is due to join the team in September 2021. The clinical team is diverse and extensive including a physician associate, advanced clinical practitioner, advanced nurse practitioners, specialist practice nurses, nursing associates, health care assistants, clinical pharmacist, and pharmacy technician. Practice/business manager. The team also benefit from access to additional resources via their Primary Care Network.
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 the patient is offered an appointment at the practice.
Extended access is commissioned locally by Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group and provided locally by IC24, where late evening and weekend appointments are available outside normal hours 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.
Updated
11 November 2021
We carried out an announced inspection at East Cliff Medical Practice on 20 August 2021 Overall, the practice is rated as good.
Set out the ratings for each key question
Safe - good
Effective – good
Responsive – good
Caring – good
Well-led – good
Following our previous inspection on 25 August 2015 the practice was rated good overall and for all key questions.
The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for East Cliff Medical practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Why we carried out this inspection
This inspection was a comprehensive inspection as the practice has changed legal entities and is now being managed by a new provider. Consequently, the provider was assessed in relation to all five domains, safe, effective, responsive, caring and well led.
How we carried out the inspection
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 inspections differently.
This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.
This included:
- Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing
- Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system and discussing findings with the provider
- Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider
- Requesting evidence from the provider
- A short site visit
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 have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.
We found that:
- The practice provided individualised care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
- Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
- Staff were trained and dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
- The practice adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Patients could access care and treatment via a number of routes in a timely way.
- The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care both within the practice and wider health and social care economy.
Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:
- utilise corporate governance systems to provide an additional tier of scrutiny and assurance in the management of medicines.
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