The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Poplar Grove Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Meadow Way, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1XB (01296) 468580

Provided and run by:
Poplar Grove Practice

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

We carried out an announced assessment of one quality statement, equity of access, under the key question Responsive at Poplar Grove Practice on 9 February 2024. Overall, the practice is rated as good. Following this assessment, the key question of responsive remains rated as good. The assessment was carried out to understand people’s experiences in accessing GP services. We know demand for GP appointments remains exceptionally high with more appointments being requested than ever. Despite this increase in demand, we recognise the work that GP practices have been engaged in, through their staff, in ensuring that they provide safe, quality care to the people that use their services. We recognise that due to the increase in demand access to services remains a concern for the public. We carried out the assessment as part of our work to understand how practices are working to try to meet increased demand for access and to better understand the experiences of people who use services. Our strategy makes a commitment to deliver regulation driven by people’s needs and experiences of care. The assessment of the quality statement equity of access includes looking at what practices are doing to improve patient access to primary care and sharing this information to drive improvement.

15 Jan 2019

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Poplar Grove Practice in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire on 15 January 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

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 as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

  • The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
  • Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
  • Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
  • The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. The practice had actively reviewed access to the practice. The majority of patients could access care and treatment in a timely way, however further improvements could be made.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

We saw an area of outstanding practice:

  • The practice provided an outstanding service to patients with caring responsibilities. This service was recognised by Carers Bucks (an independent charity to support unpaid, family carers in Buckinghamshire) and the practice was awarded an Investors in Carers GP Standard award. This was in recognition of the extra support they offer to unpaid carers who were registered at the practice.

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

  • Look at methods to improve the uptake of cervical screening for eligible patients.
  • Continue to improve the appointment system to ensure patients were able to contact the practice to make appointments without difficulty.

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

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

12 January 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Poplar Grove Practice on 12 January 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. The strategy to deliver this vision had been produced with stakeholders and was regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.
  • 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 well managed.
  • Feedback from patients about their care was consistently and strongly positive. However, patients told us telephone access was not working well.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • It was evident the practice had gone through a period of transition including a merge of practices and implementation of a new management team. 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. For example, the recently revised appointment system.

The area where the provider should make improvement is:

  • Continue to improve the appointment system to ensure patients are able to contact the practice to make appointments without difficulty.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

6 March 2014

During a routine inspection

We observed staff speaking with people in person and also on the telephone. We saw staff were friendly and polite and offered choices to patients. We found people who used the service were treated with dignity and respect. We spoke with two people who used the

service. One person said "It is very good here, they have very good receptionists who are very professional. I try to get appointments that suit me as a working parent." Another person said "It's a good surgery they have helped me a lot I am offered appointments and then take the one that suits me. They talk to my relative with dignity and respect."

People who used the service were protected against the risk of abuse. Staff received training in abuse awareness and protecting children and vulnerable adults. The policies and procedures were available to all staff in relation to safeguarding.

We found people were protected from the risk of infection as treatment was delivered in a clean and hygienic environment.

There were effective recruitment and selection processes in place.

We found the provider had an accurate Statement of Purpose which contained the necessary information including aim and objectives, the kinds of services provided, names of key individuals working for the service, legal status of the provider and details of the office address.

There was an effective complaints system in place. Complaints people made were responded to appropriately.