- GP practice
Archived: Colne Medical Centre
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All Inspections
11 October 2016
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Colne Medical Centre on 11 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- Staff members knew how to raise concerns, and report safety incidents. Safety information was recorded and any learning identified was shared with staff members.
- Risks to patients and staff members were assessed and documented regularly including those associated with; premises, equipment, medicines, fire safety, and infection control.
- Patient care and treatment was planned using recommended current clinical guidance.
- Patient comments were enthusiastic and positive about the practice.
- The practice patient participation group (PPG) could demonstrate their involvement with practice development.
- Information regarding how to complain was available at the practice and on their website.
- Patients told us there were urgent appointments available on the day they requested.
- The practice had appropriate facilities and equipment to treat patients and meet their health and treatment needs.
- Staff members told us they were supported in their working roles by the practice management and the GPs.
- Prescriptions waiting to be collected were not stored securely.
- The dispensary processes and procedures were suitable to keep people safe. However staff members including the four nurses we spoke with could not tell us what to do if the refrigerators they were monitoring were found outside the limits of cold storage medicines.
- The leadership structure was clear and staff felt supported by management.
The areas where the provider should make improvements:
- Ensure prescriptions waiting to be collected are stored securely.
- Ensure all staff members recording the temperature of refrigerators know what to do if they find them outside the limits for cold storage of medicine.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice
03 June 2014
During a routine inspection
Colne Medical Centre provides primary medical services to people in the town of Brightlingsea and the surrounding areas. There is a branch surgery which provides primary medical services to people in the village of Alresford and the surrounding areas. The branch surgery has a dispensary on site to issue medications to patients.
We found the practice was safe, effective, caring, well-led and responsive. The practice had arrangements to provide health care services for older people (over 75s), people with long-term conditions, mothers, babies, children and young people. There were services for people in vulnerable circumstances who may have poor access to primary care and people experiencing a mental health problem. The practice did not feel they needed to provide specific services for the working age population and those recently retired (aged up to 74).
We spoke with 17 patients during our inspection. They gave us positive comments regarding the care and treatment they had received. We received positive comments from six patients registered at the practice on comment cards we had left for completion by those attending the practice.
The practice had a management structure that ensured the smooth running of the services provided. Staff told us that they felt supported and valued. There were systems in place that identified relevant legislation, latest best practice and evidence based guidelines and standards which contributed to effective patient care. The practice carried out clinical audits to check the quality of clinical care provided.