Archived: Ashley Centre Surgery

Updated 23 November 2018

Ashley Centre Surgery offers primary medical services to the population of Epsom. There are approximately 9,800 registered patients. Ashley Centre Surgery is registered as a GP training practice, supporting medical students and providing training opportunities for doctors seeking to become fully qualified GPs (registrars). All four of the partners are trainers who can support registrars.

The practice is registered to provide the following regulated activities:

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
• Family planning services
• Maternity and midwifery services
• Surgical procedures
• Diagnostic and screening procedures

Care and treatment is delivered by four GP partners and two registrars, a part time salaried GP and a long term locum. There is a mix of male and female GPs. The practice employs a team of three practice nurses and one healthcare assistant. GPs and nurses are supported by the practice manager and a team of reception and administration staff.

The practice runs a number of clinics for its patients which includes travel, child development, immunisations, diabetic and well woman clinics.

Services are provided from:

Ashley Centre Surgery, Ashley Square, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5DD

www.ashleycentresurgery.co.uk

The practice is part of a hub of GP practices that offer evening appointments until 9pm and weekend appointments 9am until 1pm. These appointments are not run from the practice but from separate locations in Leatherhead, Epsom and on the Downs.

During the times when the practice was closed, the practice had arrangements for patients to access care from Care UK which is an Out of Hours provider.

The practice population has a higher number of patients between 35 and 49 years of age than the national and local CCG average. There are a lower number of patients with long term health conditions. The percentage of registered patients suffering deprivation (affecting both adults and children) was significantly lower than the average for England.

Updated 23 November 2018

This practice is rated as Good overall.

Ashley Centre Surgery was previously inspected in December 2017 where the practice was rated good overall and good in effective, caring, responsive and well led services. However, we found breaches in regulation for the safe domain and this was rated as requires improvement. We carried out an announced focused inspection on 31 October 2018 to check if the areas of concern had been addressed.

The key question at this inspection is rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

We carried out an announced focused inspection at Ashley Centre Surgery on 31 October 2018. The inspection was to check that the practice was meeting the regulations and to consider whether sufficient improvements had been made from the inspection in December 2017. This report covers our findings in relation to only those requirements found within the safe domain. The full comprehensive reports for the previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ashley Centre Surgery on our website at .

Our findings were:

• The practice had effective ways to record actions taken after receiving safety alerts including MHRA alerts.
• The practice was conducting frequent checks of the general environment and monitoring the cleaning by the external company.
• The practice had ensured that a COSHH assessment has been completed for cleaning products used.
• The practice was tracking blank prescriptions forms used throughout the practice.
• The practice ensured staff had received the appropriate training required which included safeguarding vulnerable adults and children and infection control.
• The practice ensured that staff who acted as chaperones had a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check completed.

We also saw evidence that the practice had:

• Increased the number of carers. At the inspection in November 2017 the practice had 103 registered carers. At this inspection there were 170 carers registered including two young carers. There was also a new carers lead.
• The practice had contacted the CCG in relation to their clinical waste storage facilities and we saw evidence that a new company was going to be used from January 2019. The practice was in communication with the new company to ensure their previous concerns were addressed before the start of the new contract.
• We spoke with the practice in relation to their verbal and low level complaints. They told us that the complaints lead reviewed comments on NHS choices and ensured that any comments were reviewed, investigated and replied to. The practice was also in the process of renewing their website and was ensuring that patients could use the website to record any concerns or low level complaints that they had.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 31 March 2015

The practice is rated as good for the population group of patients with long term conditions. When needed longer appointments and home visits were available. All these patients had structured annual reviews to check their health and medicine needs were being met. The GPs followed national guidance for reviewing all aspects of a patient’s long term health. Patients with palliative care needs were supported using the Gold Standards Framework . The practice nurses were trained and experienced in providing diabetes and asthma care to ensure patients with these long term conditions were regularly reviewed and supported to manage their conditions. Flu vaccinations were routinely offered to patients with long term conditions to help protect them against the virus and associated illness.

Updated 31 March 2015

The practice is rated as good for the population group of families, children and young patients. Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies. Specific services for this group of patients included family planning clinics, antenatal clinics and childhood immunisations. The practice offered contraceptive implants and coil fitting. Practice staff had received safeguarding training relevant to their role. Safeguarding policies and procedures were readily available to staff. All staff were aware of child safeguarding and how to respond if they suspected abuse. The practice ensured that children needing emergency appointments would be seen on the day.

Updated 31 March 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of older patients. Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients were positive for conditions commonly found in older patients. There were arrangements in place to provide flu and pneumococcal immunisation to this group of patients. Patients were able to speak with or see a GP when needed and the practice was accessible for patients with mobility issues. Clinics included diabetic reviews and blood tests. Blood pressure monitoring was also available. The practice offered personalised care to meet the needs of the older patients in its population and had a range of enhanced services, for example, in dementia and end of life care. It was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits. The practice had a safeguarding lead for vulnerable adults. The practice had good relationships with a range of support groups for older patients.

Updated 31 March 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age patients (including those recently retired and students). The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care. Patients were able to request a GP to telephone them instead of attending the practice. The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.

Updated 31 March 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of patients experiencing poor mental health (including patients with dementia). Patients with severe mental health needs had care plans and new cases had rapid access to community mental health teams. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia. It carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia. The practice had sign-posted patients experiencing poor mental health to various support groups and local organisations. The practice worked closely with the local mental health team and consultants.

Updated 31 March 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of patients whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability. It had carried out annual health checks for patients with a learning disability and 100% of these patients had received an annual health check and agreed an action plan. The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability where necessary. Translation services were available for patients who did not use English as a first language. The practice could accommodate those patients with limited mobility or who used wheelchairs. Accessible toilet facilities were available. The practice supported patients who were registered as a carer.