The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

St Bede Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Lower Dundas Street, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR6 0QQ (0191) 567 5335

Provided and run by:
St Bede Medical Centre

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about St Bede 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 Bede Medical Centre, you can give feedback on this service.

30 July 2019

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focused inspection at St Bede Medical Centre on 30 July 2019 as part of our inspection programme. We had previously carried out a comprehensive inspection at this practice on 30 July 2018 and rated them as good overall but requiring improvement for providing safe services. This was because the practice did not always ensure there was appropriate monitoring and clinical review prior to prescribing warfarin to patients.

At this inspection we followed up on the breach of regulations and other areas we said the practice should improve (identified in the July 2018 inspection).

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.

At this inspection, we found that the provider had addressed the concerns identified at the last CQC inspection.

We rated the practice as good for providing safe services because:

  • They had addressed the safety of prescribing high risk medicines.
  • They had implemented a policy to support staff to raise incidents and near misses through the significant event process.
  • They had reviewed their fire risk assessment to ensure risks were identified and well managed.
  • They had implemented regular checks of the professional registration of GPs.

At our previous inspection in June 2018, there was one other area where we told the practice they should improve. During this inspection, the practice demonstrated they had addressed the concern.

  • They had developed a risk register and business plans to outline the practice vision and strategic plans.

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

30 July 2018

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating July 2016 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Requires Improvement

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Bede Medical Centre on 30 July 2018. This was as part of our ongoing inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

  • The practice had clear 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.
  • 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.
  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
  • At our previous inspection in July 2016, we told the provider that they should make improvements in some areas. We saw at this inspection improvements had been made. The practice had reviewed and improved their prescription security arrangements, updated the standard letter issued in response to complaints and ensured that staff had annual appraisals.

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:

  • Develop and implement a policy to support staff to raise incidents and near misses through the significant event process.
  • Review their fire risk assessment to ensure risks are identified and well managed.
  • Put in place arrangements to check the professional registration of GPs on a regular basis to ensure they are still registered to practice.
  • Develop a risk register and business plan that outlines how and when the practice can deliver on its strategy and vision.

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

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

5 July 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the St Bede Medical Centre on 5 July 2016. Overall, the practice is rated as good.

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

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system for reporting and recording significant events. The staff team took the opportunity to learn from all internal and external incidents.

  • Risks to patients and staff were assessed and well managed.

  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. They had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

  • The practice worked closely with other organisations, when planning how services were provided, to ensure patients’ needs were met.

  • Patients’ emotional and social needs were seen as being as important as their physical needs, and there was a strong, visible, person-centred culture. Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and that they were involved in decisions about their treatment.

  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

  • Services were tailored to meet the needs of individual patients and were delivered in a way that ensured flexibility, choice and continuity of care. All staff were actively engaged in monitoring and improving quality and patient outcomes. Staff were committed to supporting patients to live healthier lives through a targeted and proactive approach to health promotion.

  • The leadership, governance and management of the practice helped ensure the delivery of good quality person-centred care, supported learning, and promoted an open culture.

However, there were also areas where the provider needs to make improvements. The provider should:

  • Review prescription security arrangements.

  • Review the standard letter issued in response to complaints received to include details of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

  • Make arrangements for all staff to have annual appraisals.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice