The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale Also known as Northiam / Broad Oak Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Surgery, Main Street, Northiam, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 6ND (01797) 252140

Provided and run by:
Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale, you can give feedback on this service.

7 August 2019

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale on 7 August 2019. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.

24 January 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 Dr James & Partners on 5 January 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good, but breaches of legal requirements were found in the safe domain. The practice sent to us an action plan detailing what they would do in relation to the shortfalls identified and the action taken in order to meet the legal requirements in relation to the following:-

  • Not all staff were trained in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and not all clinical staff were trained in the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.
  • Not all staff had been risk assessed as to whether a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check was required to carry out their roles and not all clinical staff had been subject to enhanced DBS checks. (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).
  • Infection control audits were not being carried out on a regular basis. Additionally there was no comprehensive action plan to identify any infection prevention and control issues and to address any identified concerns.
  • Maximum and minimum temperatures were not always recorded on all fridges containing medicines.
  • There was not a reliable system for recording and tracking the prescription sheets that were transferred between the main surgery and the branch surgery.
  • There had not been regular rehearsals of fire safety and evacuation procedures.
  • There were no failsafe procedures for ensuring patients were aware of histology and other test results.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 24 January 2017 to confirm that 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 inspection on 05 January 2016.

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

  • All staff had received training in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and all clinical staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

  • All staff had been risk assessed as to whether they needed a DBS check. All clinical staff had been DBS checked to an Enhanced level

  • There had been two infection control audits since the previous inspection.Actions had been identified and resolved.

  • Maximum and minimum temperatures had been recorded daily for all fridges.

  • There was a reliable system in place for tracking blank printer prescriptions between the main and branch surgeries.

  • A rehearsal of fire safety and evacuation procedures had been carried out since the last inspection and recorded.

  • A new system had been introduced to ensure that patients were made aware of test results that required further discussion.

This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection. The full comprehensive report on the January 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr James and Partners on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

5 January 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs James and partners on 5 January 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and generally well managed. However there had not been a rehearsal of fire safety and evacuation for two years.
  • 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.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
  • 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 practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.
  • An infection control audit had recently been carried out, however we saw no evidence that a comprehensive action plan to address the outstanding issues had been formulated. The practice was unable to find evidence of any previous infection control audits.
  • Training needs of staff were identified and fulfilled with the exception that we did not see evidence that all staff had completed formal training in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults or that all clinical staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
  • Clinical staff had had criminal records checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as had non clinical staff trained to chaperone patients. However not all clinical staff had been checked to an enhanced level. Additionally a risk assessment had not been carried out with regard as to whether all non clinical staff required a DBS check.
  • The arrangements for managing medicines, including emergency medicines and vaccines, in the practice kept patients safe, however one fridge, not used to store vaccines, did not have daily maximum and minimum temperatures recorded. Also there was no record kept of which printer prescription sheets were transferred between the two surgeries.

  • There were systems in place for the management of test results, but no failsafe system for ensuring that patients were made aware of their result should they forget to check..

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

  • Ensure that infection control audits are carried out on a regular basis. Additionally ensure that a comprehensive action plan is developed to identify any infection prevention and control issues and take action to address any identified concerns.

  • Ensure that all staff are trained in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and also that all clinical staff are trained in the Mental Capacity Act of 2005

  • To carry out a rehearsal of fire safety and evacuation procedures on a regular basis.

  • Risk assess all staff as to whether a DBS check is required to carry out their roles and ensure that clinical staff have been subject to enhanced DBS checks. Ensure that the results of such checks are recorded and retained.

  • Introduce a system for recording prescription sheets that are transferred between the main surgery and the branch surgery.

  • Ensure maximum and minimum temperatures are recorded on all fridges containing medicines.

  • Introduce failsafe procedures for ensuring patients are aware of histology and other test results.

    The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • That all standard operating procedures should be reviewed and signed annually.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice