The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Sunlight Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

105 Richmond Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1LX (01634) 334650

Provided and run by:
Medway Community Healthcare C.I.C

All Inspections

2 May 2018

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sunlight Centre on 3 October 2017. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the October 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Sunlight Centre on our website at .

After the inspection in October 2017 the practice wrote to us with an action plan outlining how they would make the necessary improvements to comply with the regulations.

This inspection was an announced comprehensive responsive follow up inspection carried out on 2 May 2018 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 3 October 2017.

The inspection carried out on 2 May 2018 found that the practice had responded to the concerns raised at the October 2017 inspection. The overall rating for the practice is now good.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

At this inspection we found:

  • There was an effective system for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Improvements made to the arrangements for managing medicines helped keep patients safe.
  • Risks to patients, staff and visitors were now being assessed and managed in an effective and timely manner.
  • The practice had made improvements in the timely processing of incoming records that required the attention of clinical staff.
  • The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care they provided. They ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
  • Data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) showed the results for practice management of patients with long-term conditions were comparable with local and national averages. The practice had made improvements to the accuracy of their exception reporting which was reflected in an improvement of 15% over the results published at the time of our last inspection in October 2017.
  • Records showed that all relevant staff were now up to date with infection control training and fire safety training.
  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • Patients were able to access care and treatment from the practice within an acceptable timescale for their needs.
  • The practice had made improvements to governance arrangements.
  • The practice had systems and processes for learning, continuous improvement and innovation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Keep records to demonstrate that all staff who act as chaperones have received training for the role.
  • Provide non-clinical staff with awareness training relevant to their role in the identification and management of patients with severe infections.
  • Keep records to demonstrate when contact with medicines manufacturers is made and what advice is received.
  • Continue to implement action plans to improve uptake rates for childhood immunisations.
  • Continue to implement action plans to improve national GP patient survey results with patients’ satisfaction with how they access care and treatment.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

3 October 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sunlight Centre on 3 October 2017. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • There was an effective system for reporting and recording significant events.

  • The arrangements for managing medicines did not always keep patients safe.

  • Risks to patients, staff and visitors were not always assessed and managed in an effective and timely manner.

  • Staff assessed needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.

  • Data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) showed the results for practice management of patients with long-term conditions were good. However, the practice’s exception reporting rate was high.

  • The practice was unable to demonstrate that all staff were up to date with essential training.

  • The practice was unable to demonstrate they had a reliable system that managed test results and other incoming correspondence in a timely manner.

  • 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.

  • Most patients said they were able to book an appointment that suited their needs. Pre-bookable, on the day appointments, home visits and a telephone consultation service were available. Urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs were also provided the same day.

  • The practice was equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. However, governance arrangements were not always effectively implemented.

  • The practice gathered feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

  • There was a focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are;

  • Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

  • Ensure persons employed in the provision of the regulated activity receive the appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal necessary to enable them to carry out the duties.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are;

  • Include all clinical equipment in checking to help ensure it is working properly.

  • Continue to identify patients who are also carers to help ensure they are offered appropriate support.

  • Continue to implement and evaluate the action plan to improve patient satisfaction scores.

  • Ensure all governance policies are practice specific and kept up to date.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice