Background to this inspection
Updated
10 September 2021
Dr A S Pannu and Partners is located in Sheerness at:
St Georges Medical Centre
55 St Georges Avenue
Sheerness
Isle of Sheppey
Kent
ME12 1QU
The practice has branch surgeries at:
- 36 Leysdown Road, Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey, Kent ME12 4RE.
- 62 High Street, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent ME12 4BN.
- 5 Jetty Road, Warden Bay, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, ME12 4PS.
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.
St Georges Medical Centre is the main practice where all management and administrative activity is conducted from. Leysdown Road and Eastchurch surgeries dispense medicines to those patients who live more than one mile (1.6km) from the nearest pharmacy. Warden Bay is currently non-operational. Patients can access services at either surgery (St Georges Medical Centre, Leysdown or Eastchurch).
The practice is situated within the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and delivers General Medical Services (GMS) to a patient population of about 10,800. This is part of a contract held with NHS England.
The practice is part of a wider network of six GP practices, the Sheppey Primary Care Network (PCN).
Information published by Public Health England shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the first lowest decile (one of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others.
According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the practice area is 97% White, 1% Asian, 1% Black and 1% Mixed.
The age distribution of the practice population closely mirrors the local and national averages. There are more female patients registered at the practice compared to males. The average male life expectancy for the practice area is 76 years; female life expectancy is 81years.
There is a team of five partner GPs (male) and one salaried GP (male) who provide cover at all the practices. The practice has a team of an advance nurse practitioner, two practice nurses, three healthcare assistants and six dispensing receptionists. The GPs are supported at the practice by a team of reception/administration staff. The practice manager and assistant practice manager are based at the main location to provide managerial oversight of the sites under this registration.
Due to the enhanced infection prevention and control measures put in place since the pandemic and in line with the national guidance, most GP appointments were telephone consultations. If the GP needs to see a patient face-to-face then the patient is offered a choice of either the main practice (St Georges Medical Centre) or one of the two branch surgeries (Leysdown and Eastchurch).
Extended access is provided locally by the PCN, where late evening and weekend appointments are available. Out of hours services are provided by MEDDOC.
Updated
10 September 2021
We carried out an announced inspection at Dr A S Pannu and Partners (also known as St Georges Medical Centre on 6 August 2021. Overall, the practice is rated as Good.
Safe - Good
Effective - Good
Caring - Good
Responsive - Good
Well-led - Good
Following our previous inspection on 28 January 2020, the practice was rated Requires Improvement overall, all key questions were rated Requires Improvement with the exception of the provision of effective services, which was rated Good. As a result, all population groups were also rated Requires Improvement.
The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr A S Pannu and Partners on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we carried out this inspection
This was a comprehensive follow up which included a review of two breaches of regulation found at the previous inspection and areas of service that we advised should be improved. For example, documentation relating to Patient Group Directives.
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 to the main practice and the two branch surgeries.
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 as Good overall, for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services and 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 adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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:
- Ensure that newly obtained Controlled Drug registers and standard operating procedures for the dispensaries are implemented and embedded effectively.
- Continue with and complete their action plan to ensure all patients on high-risk medicines are reviewed and coded appropriately.
- Continue to improve clinical outcomes and screening uptake, specifically COPD outcomes and cervical cancer screening.
- Continue to improve percentage rates for positive response to the National GP Survey in relation to access, appointments and overall experience.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care