A south London practice has jumped from Inadequate and in special measures to Good overall.
South Norwood Hill Medical Centre in the London borough of Croydon was rated Good in all categories: for being safe; effective; caring; responsive and well-led, following the inspection in February 2018.
The practice had made significant improvements since CQC’s last inspection and addressed the concerns identified then. The provider informed CQC that it had worked closely with the local Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS England and Royal College of General Practitioners to improve services.
Inspectors found the practice now 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 its processes.
There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered in according to evidence- based guidelines.
Patients found the appointment system easy to use and patients inspectors spoke to during the inspection said they were able to access care when they needed it.
However, there are some areas where the practice should make improvements:
- It should consider improving access for patients with hearing impairments.
- It should review the results of the national GP patient survey and continue to address low scoring areas to improve patient satisfaction.
Acting Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice, Michele Golden said:
“It is always encouraging to see a practice work hard to improve its rating. The move from Inadequate and in special measures to Good is a big step and staff at South Norwood Hill Medical Centre should be proud of what they have achieved."
“We are taking this service out of special measures. This recognises the significant improvements made to the quality of care provided.”
You can read the report in full on our website.
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