Seaforth Farm Surgery

Updated 28 October 2022

Seaforth Farm Surgery offers general medical services to people living and working in Hailsham and the surrounding villages. The current patient list is approximately 11,500. It is a practice with three partners two of whom are GP partners (female) and a clinical pharmacist partner (male). The practice is also supported by an associate/salaried GP who is female and locum GPs. Seaforth Farm Surgery is a training practice, so it takes supernumerary registrars who are qualified doctors completing their specialist training as GPs.

The practice has one advanced nurse practitioner, four practice nurses, one paramedic practitioner, three healthcare assistants and a team of receptionists and administration staff. Operational management is provided by the practice manager.

The provider is registered to provide the following regulated activities:

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
• Family planning services
• Maternity and midwifery services
• Surgical procedures
• Diagnostic and screening procedures

Services are provided from the following addresses:

Seaforth Farm Surgery (Main surgery), Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1BH

and

Vicarage Field Surgery (Branch), Vicarage Field, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1BE

We did not visit the branch during this inspection.

Patients requiring a GP outside of normal working hours are advised to contact the NHS 111 service where they will be given advice or directed to the most appropriate service for their medical need.

For further details please see the practice website; www.hailshammedicalgroup.org.uk

Updated 28 October 2022

We carried out an announced inspection at Seaforth Farm Surgery on 8 July 2022. Overall, the practice is rated as Good.

Following our previous inspection in November 2020, the practice’s previous overall rating and ratings for providing safe, effective, responsive, caring and well-led services were carried over from the previous inspection in 2017. We inspected but did not rate the practice.

The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Seaforth Farm Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we carried out this inspection

This inspection was carried out to follow up on outstanding breaches of regulation:

Regulation 12 Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment.

Regulation 18 Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Staffing

How we carried out the review

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 reviews and inspections differently.

This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to review information remotely. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements. We visited the service as part of our inspection.

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 site visit

Our findings

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found from our review
• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
• information from the provider.

We found that:

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm. For example, the practice had taken steps to ensure high risk medicines were monitored in accordance with national guidelines. However, there were some instances where blood tests were overdue,
• Staff were supported by up to date PGDs. We found that PGDs had been signed by all required staff prior to the sign off by the authorising manager.
• A system of clinical supervision had been introduced to support clinical staff. We received positive feedback on the support provided.
• The practice recruitment system was in line with regulation.
• Emergency medicines and stock were up to date.

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

Continue to take steps to recall patients for appropriate blood tests and follow up reviews.

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