Background to this inspection
Updated
13 September 2021
The High Street Surgery is located in Epping, Essex. It provides GP services to approximately 7,300 patients who live in in Epping, Theydon Bois or North Weald. The practice is commissioned by the West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
The High Street Surgery is in an area which is not considered to be deprived and is rated low on the deprivation scale.
The provider is registered with the CQC to carry out the following regulated activities: treatment of disease, disorder or injury, diagnostic and screening procedures, minor surgical procedures, maternity and midwifery services, and family planning.
The practice staff comprises: one full-time GP partner, two part-time salaried GPs, one part-time advanced nurse practitioner, one full-time and one part-time practice nurse, one full time healthcare assistant, a full-time practice manager, an administration/registration clerk, a part-time secretary and seven reception staff, including a senior receptionist.
Other staff who work at the practice include: an advanced respiratory nurse practitioner, a community midwife, a mental health practitioner and a social worker.
Additional staff who work at the practice and are provided through the Primary Care Network, (PCN), include: a clinical pharmacist, a first contact practitioner, and two social prescribers,
Due to the enhanced infection prevention and control measures put in place since the pandemic and in line with the national guidance, GP appointments are a mix of telephone consultations and face to face appointments. If a patient requests a face to face visit, they are offered this type of appointment whenever possible.
Extended access is provided locally by the CCG, where late evening and weekend appointments are available.
Updated
13 September 2021
We carried out an announced inspection at The High Street Surgery on 26 August 2021 Overall, the practice is rated as Good.
Safe - Good
Effective - Good
Responsive - Good
Well-led - Good
Following our previous inspection on 11 February 2020, the practice was rated Requires Improvement overall and Requires Improvement for providing Safe, Responsive and Well-led services. It was rated Good for providing Caring and Effective services.
The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The High Street Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we carried out this inspection
This inspection was a focused follow-up inspection for the key questions, Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led, to follow up on:
A Requirement Notice issued following our last inspection relating to the following:
- Patients prescribed high-risk medicines were not reviewed before a repeat prescription was issued;
- There were no action plans to improve performance for patients with higher blood pressure;
- There was no system to monitor and review performance of Nitrofurantoin 50 mg tablets and capsules, Nitrofurantoin 100 mg m/r capsules, Pivmecillinam 200 mg tablets and Trimethoprim 200mg tablets prescribed for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.
Also, to review areas identified at our last inspection as a should:
- Code the records of patients with hyperthyroidism
- Implement a policy for the re-order of vaccines and emergency medicines
- Continue to improve cervical screening data
- Continue to improve patient feedback around access.
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 had addressed the concerns identified at the previous inspection.
- 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.
- The practice adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.
Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:
- Continue to work towards improving patient feedback relating to access.
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