The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Blessing Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

307 Kilburn Lane, London, W9 3EG (020) 3667 5564

Provided and run by:
Blessing Medical Centre

All Inspections

30 July 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Blessing Medical Centre on the 11 March 2015. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe care. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice submitted an action plan, outlining what they would do to ensure the care they provided was effective and met the standard required by CQC.

We undertook this focussed inspection on 30 July 2016 to check that the practice had followed their plan and to confirm that they were now providing safe care. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also where additional improvements have been made following the initial inspection. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Blessing Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Overall the practice was rated as Good.

Following the focussed inspection we found the practice to be good for providing safe care.

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

  • All staff have received adult safeguarding training.
  • All staff that act as chaperones had received chaperone training.
  • All staff had been Disclosure and Barring Service checked. (DBS checks identify whether a person has a criminal record or is on an official list of people barred from working in roles where they may have contact with children or adults who may be vulnerable).
  • Patient Group Directions had been adopted by the practice and all were signed by the GP.
  • The practice nurse had attended Mental Capacity Act and Gillick competency training.
  • The nurse carried out weekly checks to the automated external defibrillator and these were all documented.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

11th March 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of Blessing Medical centre on 11 March 2015.

Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for being well-led and providing effective, caring and responsive services. It required improvement to be made to ensure they provide safe services. It was also good for providing services for the care provided to older people, people with long term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people living in vulnerable circumstances and people experiencing poor mental health.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • Arrangements were in place to ensure patients were kept safe. For example, staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents and near misses
  • Patients’ needs were suitably assessed and care and treatment was delivered in line with current legislation and best practice guidance.
  • We saw from our observations and heard from patients that they were treated with dignity and respect and all practice staff were compassionate.
  • The practice understood the needs of their patients and was responsive to them. There was evidence of continuity of care and vulnerable patients were able to get urgent appointments on the same day.
  • There was a culture of learning and staff felt supported and could give feedback and discuss any concerns or issues with colleagues and management

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

  • The practice need to review its recruitment policy to ensure it is clear about which staff will be DBS checked and why.
  • The practice should ensure all PGDs are signed by the GP.
  • The practice nurse should attend training regarding Gillick competency.
  • The practice should provide equality and diversity training for its staff.
  • The practice should develop a clear vision and strategy to deliver high quality care and promote good outcomes for patients and ensure all staff are aware of it.

 

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice