The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

The Nile Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

High Street, Walsall, West Midlands, WS6 7AE (01922) 702240

Provided and run by:
The Nile Practice

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Nile Practice 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 The Nile Practice, you can give feedback on this service.

11 January 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about The Nile Practice on 11 January 2020. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.

18 July 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Nile Practice on 1 November 2016. The overall rating for the practice was Good with the Safe domain being rated as Requires Improvement. We found one breach of a legal requirement and as a result we issued a requirement notice in relation to:

  • Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014 – Safe Care and Treatment.

The full comprehensive report on the November 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Nile Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

The Nile Practice merged with Dr A Yi’s practice in April 2017. An announced comprehensive inspection at Dr A Yi was previously carried out on 15 January 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good with the safe domain being rated as Requires Improvement. We found two breaches of a legal requirements and as a result we issued requirement notices in relation to:

  • Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014 – Safe Care and Treatment.
  • Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014 – Fit and Proper Persons Employed

The full comprehensive report on the 15 January 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr A Yi on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced comprehensive inspection on 18 July 2017. Overall the practice remains rated as good with the safe domain being rated as Requires Improvement.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.
  • Staff demonstrated that they understood their responsibilities although not all staff were up to date with training on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults relevant to their role.
  • Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Clinical staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Results from the national GP patient survey were very positive and showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available.
  • Patients we spoke with said they were able to get an appointment when they needed one, with urgent appointments available the same day.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

  • Ensure that all staff complete training as required by the practice. Proactively promote the range of appointments available to patients, in particular the pre-bookable and extended hours appointments.
  • Consider including information about the patient reference group on the practice website.
  • Ensure that practice meetings are held on a regular basis.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

1 November 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of The Nile Practice on 1 November 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Learning was shared with staff and reported to external agencies when required.
  • Required recruitment checks had been made before a member of staff was employed to work at the practice. However, the physical and mental health of newly appointed staff had not been considered.
  • Fully effective systems were not in place to mitigate risks to patients who took high risk medicines.
  • An overarching training matrix and policy was in place to monitor that all staff were up to date with their training needs and received regular appraisals.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
  • Feedback from patients about their care was consistently positive and was reflected in the national patient survey published in July 2016.
  • The practice had reviewed the needs of its local population and engaged with the NHS England Area Team and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to secure improvements to services where these were identified.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • The practice actively reviewed complaints and how they are managed and responded to, and made improvements as a result.
  • The practice had a vision which was to provide holistic personal care to their practice population.
  • The practice had visible clinical and managerial leadership but governance and audit arrangements were not always effective. However the provider was aware of the gaps in governance and had made plans to address them.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

  • Implement a formal system to log, review, discuss and act on alerts received that may affect patient safety.
  • Review the list of emergency medicines kept to ensure that risks associated with emergency situations are mitigated. Implement effective systems to mitigate risks to patients who take high risk medicines.
  • Implement processes to demonstrate that the physical and mental health of newly appointed staff have been considered to ensure they are suitable to carry out the requirements of the role.
  • Put a system in for the effective management and monitoring of patients on repeat medication.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Implement an effective system to collate information on children attending local A&E departments.
  • Implement a system to identify vulnerable adults on their electronic notes.
  • Put systems in place to demonstrate that clinical guidelines are implemented
  • Explore how the number of carers identified could be increased and how information for carers could be better displayed.
  • Include information about the patient participation group on the practice website.


Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice