Background to this inspection
Updated
11 December 2019
The Phoenix Surgery provides general medical services to the people living in the town of Worthing, West Sussex. There are approximately 6300 registered patients. The practice population has a higher than average number of patients over the age of 65. The percentage of registered patients suffering deprivation (affecting both adults and children) is lower than average for England
The Phoenix Surgery is run by two female GP partners. At the time of the inspection there was a vacant post for a salaried GP which was being covered by two long term locum GPs. There was one practice nurse, two health care assistants, a clinical pharmacist, a team of receptionists, administrative staff, a reception manager and two practice managers.
The practice is registered to provide the regulated activities of diagnostic and screening procedures; treatment of disease, disorder and injury; maternity and midwifery services; family planning, and surgical procedures.
For information about practice services, opening times and appointments please visit their website at www.phoenixsurgery.co.uk
Updated
11 December 2019
We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Phoenix Surgery on 25 January 2019. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. This was because staff had not received essential training and governance arrangements needed to be strengthened. The full comprehensive report on the 25 January inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Phoenix Surgery on our website at .
After the inspection in January 2019 the practice wrote to us with an action plan outlining how they would make the necessary improvements to comply with the regulations.
We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection at The Phoenix Surgery on 5 and 11 November 2019. This was in response to concerns raised and to follow up on breaches of regulations identified at our previous inspection in January 2019.
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- what we found when we inspected
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
We have rated this practice as good overall and good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It is rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. The practice is rated as good for all population groups.
We rated the practice good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services because:
- The practice had systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
- Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. The premises were clean and hygienic.
- Risks to patients, staff and visitors were assessed, monitored and managed in an effective manner.
- The practice sought feedback from patients, which it acted on.
- Staff had undertaken essential training and were encouraged to develop in their roles.
- Staff were positive about working in the practice and felt valued and supported in their roles.
We rated the practice requires improvement for providing safe services because:
- The management of medicines did not always keep patents safe.
The areas where the provider must make improvements are:
- Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Improve the uptake for cervical screening to ensure at least 80% coverage in line with the national target.
- Put measures in place to reduce exception reporting rates where they are higher than average.
- Continue to address areas of lower than average patient satisfaction in the national GP patient survey results.
- Put measures in place to encourage the identification of carers so that appropriate support can be offered.
- Ensure that the infection control lead undertakes training for the role and attends clinical commissioning group events for infection control lead nurses.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care