We carried out an announced comprehensive follow up inspection on 22 November 2018 to ask the service the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
CQC previously inspected the service on 18 May 2018 and asked the provider to make improvements regarding the safe care and treatment of patients (specifically in relation to infection prevention and control protocols; and emergency medicines provision). At that time, we also asked the provider to make improvements regarding good governance arrangements (in relation to managing safeguarding risks and risks associated with the premises and emergency equipment).
We checked these areas as part of our 22 November 2018 comprehensive inspection and found they had been resolved.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found that this service was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found that this service was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found that this service was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found that this service was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found that this service was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider, Dr Dannis Wing Kuen Tang, provides private GP services from West End Medical Centre to both adults and children. The provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to carry on at the practice location the regulated activities of Treatment of Disease Disorder or Injury and Diagnostic & Screening Procedures.
We received 31 completed Care Quality Commission comment cards all of which were positive about the staff at the practice and the services received. We did not speak with patients directly at the inspection.
Our key findings were:
- The service had acted since our last inspection to ensure safe care and treatment was provided in relation to safeguarding patients, staff pre-employment checks, infection prevention and control protocols; and in relation to the availability of emergency medicines and equipment.
- The service had acted since our last inspection to ensure good governance in relation to identifying and acting on risks associated with fire safety, lapsed staff training and out of date or missing protocols.
- The service reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It had also acted to ensure that care and treatment was now being delivered according to evidence-based guidelines.
- Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- Services were provided to meet the needs of patients.
- Patient feedback for the services offered was consistently positive.
- The service had acted since our last inspection such that management and governance arrangements assured the delivery of high-quality and person-centred care.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review protocols to ensure that periodic water temperature monitoring is undertaken in accordance with the service’s recent Legionella risk assessment.
- Review fire safety protocols to ensure that fire instructions are appropriately displayed throughout the premises.
Professor Steve Field
CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice