The Vale Practice

Updated 29 February 2024

The Vale Practice is located in in the London Borough of Haringey at:

50-66 Park Road

Crouch End

London

N8 8SU

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 part of the North Central London Integrated Care System (ICS) and delivers care through a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England to a patient population of approximately 10,410 patients.

Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the sixth lowest decile (six of 10). 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 74% White, 9% Black, 7% Asian, 6% Mixed, and 3% Other.

The latest available data for age distribution of the practice population show some variation from local and national averages:

Age Range Practice ICS National

Young People 19% 18% 20%

Working Age 74% 70% 62%

Older People 8% 12% 19%

There is a team of 11 GPs, of which there is 1 clinical partner, 6 salaried and 4 regular locum GPs who work between them a total of 42.5 sessions. In addition, the practice has a team of two locum nurses, three clinical pharmacists and a social prescriber. As a training practice, at the time of inspection, there were also two Foundation Year 2 (FY2) doctors.

The clinical staff are supported at the practice by a non-clinical partner practice manager together with a team of nine reception/administration staff.

The practice is open between 8.30am – 8.00pm Mondays and Tuesdays, 7.30am – 6.30pm Wednesdays and Fridays and 8.30am – 6.30pm on Thursdays.

The practice offers a range of appointment types including book on the day, telephone consultations and advance appointments.

Extended access is provided locally via out of hours GP Hubs, where late evening and weekend appointments are available.

Updated 29 February 2024

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Vale Practice on 17 November 2023. Overall, the practice is rated as Good.

Safe - good

Effective - good

Caring - good

Responsive - good

Well-led - good

We had previously inspected the practice in October 2017, when we rated the practice Good overall. The full report of the previous inspection can be found on our website at -

https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-548015254/reports

Why we carried out this inspection

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

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:

• The practice learned and made improvements when things went wrong.
• Appropriate standards of cleanliness and hygiene were met.

• Patients had access to appropriate health assessments and checks.
• Clinicians supported patients to make decisions.
• Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social and religious needs of patients.
• Staff helped patients and their carers find further information and access community and advocacy services.
• The facilities and premises were appropriate for the services being delivered.
• There was information available for patients to support them to understand how to access services.
• Staff reported that leaders were visible and approachable.
• Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Implement a fully documented induction programme for all new starters including, permanent, temporary and locum staff.
• Take action to record the immunisation status for all staff.
• Take action to prepare and keep up to date a written risk assessment to explain the reasons for not keeping an emergency supply of any medicines that should be available in the practice.
• Continue taking action to improve uptake of it child Immunisation programme.
• Continue taking action to improve uptake of its cervical screening programme.
• Take action to monitor the results of the annual GP Patient Survey.

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 Health Care