Camden Health Improvement Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Camden Health Improvement Practice on 21 September and 7 October 2022. Overall, the practice is rated as good.

Safe - good

Effective - good

Caring - good

Responsive - good

Well-led - good

Following our previous inspection on 5 January 2017, 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 Camden Health Improvement Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we carried out this inspection

We carried out this comprehensive inspection in line with our inspection priorities.

At this inspection we followed up on the following areas, identified at our last inspection, where the practice should make improvements:

• The practice should ensure blank prescription forms are kept in a locked area at all times.
• Cupboards where clinical equipment is stored should be locked.
• The practice should review Patient Group Directions which are beyond review date and ensure all PGDs are signed.
• The provider should carry out a comprehensive risk assessment of security or staff and patients at the service.
• The practice should ensure staff complete all mandatory training.

How we carried out the inspection

This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site.

This included:

• Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing.
• Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system (this was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements).
• 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 found that:

• Blank prescriptions were stored in locked rooms.
• Clinical equipment was stored in locked rooms.
• The practice had reviewed and ensured all Patient Group Directions (PGDs) were within review date and were signed.
• It had carried out a comprehensive risk assessment of staff security.
• The practice had implemented procedures to ensure all staff complete all mandatory training.
• The practice provided 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 dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services