The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Garnet Fold Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

374-376 St Helens Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 3RR (01204) 665588

Provided and run by:
Garnet Fold Practice

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Garnet Fold Practice 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 Garnet Fold Practice, you can give feedback on this service.

9 January 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Garnet Fold Practice on 9 January 2020. 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.

20/11/2018

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating 21 October 2015 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Garnet Fold Practice on 20 November 2018 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. The inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

At this inspection we found:

  • The practice 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 their processes.
  • The practice reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided.
  • It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence-based guidelines.
  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
  • There was a responsive approach to feedback from patients.
  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • The practice should consider a risk assessment to verify the emergency drugs they have chosen to keep on the premises.
  • The practice should consider introducing an up to date incident reporting policy and lower the threshold for formally raising incidents so that all incidents are discussed.
  • The practice should consider formally recording when follow up actions have been completed for example those discussed at meetings or required following incidents.
  • The practice should consider more structured meeting agendas where all staff are involved.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

21/10/2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Garnet Fold Practice on 21 October 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, including those relating to recruitment checks.
  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
  • 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 GP and 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.

We saw areas of outstanding practice including:

  • The practice developed a guide for parents and carers of children aged birth to five years in relation to common childhood illnesses, with the aim of reducing the number of A&E attendances, to improve access to GP surgeries and improve patient experience.
  • There was a practice register of all people who were carers and a dedicated member of staff had been appointed to liaise with carers and be a central point of contact within the practice.

However there were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

The provider should retain evidence of references obtained including verbal references for all staff.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

3 December 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with three patients on the day and following our visit. They spoke positively about the practice and commented they were happy with the care they received.

The practice was adequately maintained, had disabled access at the front of the practice but did not have access to a disabled toilet.The practice manager informed us they were waiting confirmation of funding from the Care Commissioning Group to refurbish the premises.

The practice had electronic records in place to accurately describe the contact patients had with the service and the actions taken to provide appropriate care and treatment.

We found staff had access to contact details for both child protection and adult safeguarding teams. They were able to describe the appropriate actions they would take if they had any safeguarding concerns.

The practice had an up to date recruitment policy in place. We looked at five personnel files and found contracts in place and evidence of identification and qualification checks.

The practice had a range of policies and procedures in place for staff to access, which supported the safe running of the service.

The practice was a member of the local GP preventing infection together programme where they were able to access support for infection prevention and control (IPC). The nurse was identified as the lead for IPC.

A patient told us; "I moved out of the area and appealed when I was told I would have to move GP. I won so I can stay here. It is a great practice".