Guildowns Group Practice Also known as Wodeland Avenue Surgery, 91-93 Wodleand Avenue, Guildford, Surrey

Updated 5 September 2022

Guildowns Group Practice is located in Guildford, Surrey. The practice offers services from a main practice and three branch surgeries. Patients can access services at all surgeries:

Main practice:

Wodelands Surgery, 91 – 93 Wodelands Avenue, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4YP

Branch surgeries:

Stoughton Road Surgery, 2 Stoughton Road, Guildford, GU1 1LL

The Oaks Surgery, Applegarth Avenue, Park Barn, Guildford, GU2 8LZ

The Student Health Centre, Stag Hill, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH

All four sites were visited as part of this inspection activity.

The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, maternity and midwifery services and treatment of disease, disorder or injury and surgical procedures. These are delivered from all sites.

The practice is situated within the Integrated Care Board known as NHS Surrey Heartlands and delivers General Medical Services (GMS) to a patient population of about 23,180. This is part of a contract held with NHS England. The practice is part of a primary care network of four local GP practices who work collaboratively to provide primary care services.

Information published by UK Health Security Agency shows that deprivation within the practice population group is rated 10 out of 10. The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others. (Deprivation covers a broad range of issues and refers to unmet needs caused by a lack of resources of all kinds, not just financial).

According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the practice area is 12% Asian, 81% White, 2.6% Black, 2.3% Mixed, and Other 2.4%.

The age distribution of the practice population has some differences to the local and national averages. Approximately 20% of the practice population is aged between 20 and 24 years of age, compared to an England average of approximately 6%. There is also a lower proportion of older people. This unusual age distribution is due to the provider offering services to the student population of a large university.

There is a team of eight GP partners and six GPs who provide cover across the four sites. The practice has a team of five nurses and an advance nurse practitioner, who provide nurse led clinics including for long-term conditions. There is also a clinical pharmacist employed by the practice and four health care assistants/phlebotomists. The GPs are supported at the practice by a team of patient services and administration staff.

The practice is a training practice. (A training practice has GP trainees who are qualified doctors completing a specialisation in general practice).

Appointments outside core opening times are provided by the practice. Late evening and weekend appointments which are booked through the practice are provided through a GP federation. The practice participates in the provision of these appointments. Out of hours services are provided through NHS 111.

Updated 5 September 2022

We carried out an announced inspection at Guildowns Group Practice from 25 – 28 July 2022 Overall, the practice is rated as Good

Safe - Good

Effective - Good

Caring – Good (carried over from last inspection)

Responsive – Good (carried over from last inspection)

Well-led - Good

Following our previous inspection on 17 May 2021, the practice was rated requires improvement overall and for safe and well led key questions but good for effective.

The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Guildowns Group Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we carried out this inspection

The practice had been previously rated as requires improvement in May 2021. This inspection was to follow up breaches of regulations 12, and 17 as identified in our previous inspection. The data and evidence we reviewed in relation to the caring and responsive key questions as part of this inspection did not suggest we needed to review the rating at this time. This inspection included aspects of the responsive key question in relation to access only.

How we carried out the inspection

Throughout the pandemic CQC has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our inspections differently.

This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.

This included:

• Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing
• Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system and discussing findings with the provider
• Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider
• Requesting evidence from the provider
• A short site visit

Our findings

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.

We have rated this practice Good overall

We found that:

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
• Safeguarding arrangements helped support and protect the practice’s most vulnerable patients.
• Appropriate recruitment checks were in place for staff working at the practice.
• The premises were well maintained, and infection prevention and control measures were implemented to minimise the risks to patients.
• Our clinical searches found medicines were well managed.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• Leaders reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care the service provided. They ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence-based guidelines.
• There was a programme of quality improvement activity, including clinical audit.
• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Continue to improve uptake of cervical screening.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services