We carried out a review of the data available to us about St Martins Medical Centre on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about St Martins Medical Centre, you can give feedback on this service.
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Martins Medical Centre on 27 November 2018 as part of our inspection programme.
At the last inspection in October 2017 we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing safe and well-led services because:
At this inspection, we found that the provider had satisfactorily addressed these areas.
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service is on a combination of:
We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups, except the long-term conditions group which was rated as requires improvement.
We found that:
Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Martins Medical Centre on 23 February 2016. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe, effective, and well-led services, and good for providing caring and responsive services. Overall the practice was rated as requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the February 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for St Martins Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
This inspection was an announced comprehensive follow up inspection on 24 October 2017 to check for improvements since our previous inspection. The practice is now rated as requires improvement for safe and well-led services, and good for providing effective, caring, and responsive services. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
The areas where the provider must make improvements are:
In addition the provider should:
Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Martins Medical Centre on 23 February 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.
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. However, reviews were not thorough enough to prevent a reoccurrence and there was no guidance on what constituted significant events for staff to refer to.
Some risks to patients had been assessed, however improvements were required to risks relating to recruitment, training, health and safety, fire safety, and infection control.
Data showed patient outcomes were in line with local and national averages. However, we saw no evidence that clinical audits were driving improvement in performance to improve patient outcomes.
Patients were positive about their interactions with staff and said they were treated with compassion and dignity.
Information about how to complain was available, although it was not easily accessible to patients.
Urgent appointments were usually available on the day they were requested, and patients could access a male and female GP.
The practice had some policies and procedures to govern activity, but some were missing or were overdue a review.
There was a new leadership structure however some staff were not sure of the roles of other staff and did not feel supported by management or involved in how to improve the practice.
The practice had sought feedback from patients and had an active patient participation group.
The areas where the provider must make improvements are:
Ensure risk assessments related to fire safety, the testing of electrical equipment, and infection control are carried out, and action is taken to ensure patients are kept safe.
Carry out clinical audits and re-audits to inform and improve patient outcomes.
Ensure staff are supported with professional development and supervision, and receive training to enable them to undertake their role.
Ensure staff who act as chaperones have received the necessary pre-employment checks and assess their competency to carry out this role.
Ensure staff receive appraisals so their developments needs are identified and acted on.
Ensure policies and protocols are in place and up to date to assist staff with significant event reporting, infection control, the secure storage and monitoring of prescriptions, repeat prescribing, health and safety, and referrals.
In addition the provider should:
Chief Inspector of General Practice
People told us they were offered explanations regarding medical conditions and the treatment options that were available.
Systems were in place for safeguarding children and adults.
There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. Staff were appropriately supported to ensure they were sufficiently skilled to care and support people who use the service.
The provider had in place an effective complaints management system. People we spoke with told us they were confident that they could raise any concerns they had.