The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

The Vale Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

50-66 Park Road, Crouch End, London, N8 8SU (020) 8347 3330

Provided and run by:
The Vale Practice

All Inspections

17 November 2023 to 4 January 2024

During a routine inspection

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

12 October 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Vale Practice on 12 October 2017. 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.
  • Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Results from the national GP patient survey showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.

  • Results from the national GP patient survey showed that patients’ satisfaction with how they could access care and treatment were above local and national averages; and we saw evidence of actions taken to further improve how people could access appointments and services in a way and at a time that suited them.

  • The provider had taken recent action to improve appointments access and on the day of our inspection urgent same day appointments were available, in addition to routine appointments being available within 24 hours.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by the partner GPs. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to control the risk from Legionella (a term for a particular bacterium which can contaminate water systems in buildings).

  • Develop systems for providing support to carers.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

8 January 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Vale Practice on 8 January 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing well-led, effective, caring, safe and responsive services. It was also good for providing services for older people, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people living in vulnerable circumstances, people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) and for people with long term conditions.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks.
  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
  • 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.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • 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.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice