Dr Halina Obuchowicz - Care Quality Commission

Background to this inspection

Updated 11 December 2017

The practice of Dr Halina Obuchowicz, also known as Kew Surgery, is based in Kew, Southport. There were approximately 3,800 patients on the practice register at the time of our inspection. The practice has a slightly different demographic than most other surgeries in the area, in that it has higher than average numbers of working age patients, and lower than average numbers of older patients.

The practice is managed by Dr Halina Obuchowicz, supported by two long term locum GPs. The practice also has an advanced nurse prescriber, a practice nurse and health care assistant. Clinicians are supported by a practice manager, receptionists and an administration team

The practice is open from 8am to 6.30pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with extended opening hours on Tuesday until 8pm. If patients require GP services outside of the practice opening times, a telephone message gives instructions to call NHS 111 who will assess each patient’s needs and if required, will refer on to the locally provided out of hours service Go to Doc.

The practice is part of Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). All services are delivered under a Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 11 December 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We previously inspected Dr Halina Obuchowicz’s practice on 22 June 2016. The overall rating for the practice was inadequate, with ratings of inadequate for the key questions of safe and well-led, and ratings of requires improvement for the key questions of effective, caring and responsive. The practice was placed in special measures for a period of six months. We then carried out a follow up inspection on 7 February 2017. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement, with ratings for requires improvement for the key questions of safe, effective and well led and the practice was taken out of special measures. The full comprehensive report on the 7 February 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr Halina Obuchowicz on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

We carried out an announced focused inspection at Dr Halina Obuchowicz’s practice on 16 November 2017 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 7 February 2017. This report includes our findings in relation to those requirements.

Overall the practice is now rated as good and good for providing safe, effective and well led services.

At this inspection we found:

The practice had made improvements and addressed the issues identified in the previous inspection. Improvements included:

All staff including locum clinicians had indemnity cover.

Appropriate recruitment checks were completed for all staff.

More patients being seen for medical reviews.

Increased quality assurance work such as audits and acting on patient feedback.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)

Chief Inspector of General Practice