The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Charlestown Medical Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Charlestown Road, Manchester, Lancashire, M9 7ED (0161) 741 2065

Provided and run by:
GTD Primary Care Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile
Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

All Inspections

15 August 2017

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Charlestown Medical Practice on 14 June 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good however there were improvements required in the key question safe. The full comprehensive report on the 14 June 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Charlestown Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 15 August 2017 to confirm the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspections. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings at this inspection were as follows:

  • We reviewed a range of documents which demonstrated they were now meeting the requirements of Regulation 12 Health & Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Safe Care and Treatment.
  • There was now an effective system in place to manage and monitor infection control.
  • There were clear processes and checks for the healthcare assistant (now called assistant practitioner) in following the Patient Specific Directions (PSD). A Patient Specific Direction (PSD) is an instruction to administer a medicine to a list of individually named patients where each patient on the list has been individually assessed by that prescriber. The prescriber must have adequate knowledge of the patient's health, and be satisfied that the medicine to be administered serves the individual needs of each patient on that list.
  • The GPs had appropriate emergency medicines available when attending home visits.
  • The practice held records to show staff were immunised against infectious diseases, in particular for Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by a virus that's spread through blood and body fluids.
  • Blank prescription forms and pads were securely stored and there were systems in place to monitor their use.
  • There was now a patient participation group (PPG) in place that had met regularly since the last inspection and were looking at ways to engage with the patient population. 

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

14 June 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Charlestown Medical Practice on 14 June 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • Risks to patients were not fully assessed and well managed, for example there was an inconsistent approach to the use of Patient Specific Directions (PSD), which enabled the healthcare assistant to administer vaccinations safely to patients.
  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events, with a central reporting system to head office.
  • The practice did not hold any records to show whether staff were immunised against infectious diseases for example Hepatitis B.
  • Although one full audit cycle had been carried out in unplanned admissions, there was no further evidence of clinical audits taking place; therefore the practice could not show improvement in patient outcomes.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • 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 provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

  • Ensure there is a clear process and prior clinical checks in place for the healthcare assistant clinics in regards to Patient Specific Directions (PSD).
  • Ensure clear processes for documenting, auditing, and monitoring of infection control.
  • Ensure GP has emergency medicines available when attending home visits.

In addition the provider should:

  • Implement a Patient Participation Group (PPG) in order to identify and act on patients’ views about the service.
  • Check daily all blank prescriptions in clinical rooms are removed, with the log filled in correctly.
  • Develop a system of regular clinical audits.
  • Maintain a record of all clinical staff Hepatitis B status

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice