The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Ash Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Chilton Place, Ash, Canterbury, CT3 2HD (01304) 812227

Provided and run by:
Ash Surgery

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

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

15 February 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Ash Surgery on 15 February 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.

27 November 2018

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating March 2018– Requires Improvement)

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 of Chilton Place Surgery on 6 March 2018. The service required improvement for safe and well-led services. The full comprehensive report on the March 2018 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Chilton Place Surgery on our website at .

We carried out an announced focused comprehensive inspection on 27 November 2018 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 6 March 2018. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also, additional improvements made since our last inspection.

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 routinely 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 strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

6 March 2018

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Requires Improvement overall. (Previous inspection February 2016 – Good)

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Requires Improvement

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Requires improvement

As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:

Older People – Good

People with long-term conditions – Good

Families, children and young people – Good

Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Chilton Place Surgery on 6 March 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

  • The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

  • Data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) demonstrated that the practice was performing in line with local and national averages for patient outcomes.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Patients we spoke with said they were able to book an appointment that suited their needs. Pre-bookable, on the day appointments, home visits and a telephone consultation service were available. Urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs were also provided the same day.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.

  • 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.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care, so that actions for improvement, arising from complaints, significant events or other sources, are recorded and monitored to help ensure that they are completed.

  • Ensure that recruitment checks are completed for all staff employed and that appropriate standards of hygiene are maintained in line with national guidance.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Consider installing a hearing loop so that patients and their carers can access and understand the information they are given.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

2 February 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Chilton Place Surgery on 2 February 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 for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • 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.

There are areas where the provider should make improvement:

  • Should review systems so that actions for improvement, arising from complaints, significant events or other sources, are monitored to help ensure that they completed.
  • Should review recruitment process to ensure that all the relevant personal information has been collected.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice