The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Barrowford Surgery Limited

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Ridgeway, Barrowford, Nelson, Lancashire, BB9 8QP (01282) 612621

Provided and run by:
The Barrowford Surgery Limited

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

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

8 February 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Barrowford Surgery Limited on 8 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.

25 April 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice


We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Barrowford Surgery on 2 February 2016. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement.

During that inspection we identified breaches of regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment), regulation 17 (Good governance) and regulation 19 (Fit and proper persons employed) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

The breaches resulted in the practice being rated as requires improvement for being safe, and well-led and good for being effective, caring and responsive. Consequently the practice was rated as requires improvement overall. The full comprehensive report on the 2 February 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Barrowford Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At this announced comprehensive inspection on 27 March 2017 we checked whether improvements had been made since our inspection in February 2016.

The practice is now rated as Good.

We found improvements had been made in respect of;

Safe;

  • Emergency medicines were in place to ensure the safety of patients in an emergency.
  • We found that the registered person operated an effective recruitment system. The staff files we checked contained references, disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks, CV or application form and a check of professional registration.

  • There was a system in place to monitor the use of blank prescriptions.

  • The practice had produced consent forms for use when carrying out invasive procedures such as; excisions and joint injections. Where a patient gave verbal consent this was recorded on the patients’ records.

  • The practice nurse was infection control lead and had completed infection prevention and control training to levels 1 and 2.

Well-led;

  • Risk assessments had been carried out by specialist contractors in respect of the practice environment, fire safety and legionella and copies were held in the practice.

Our key findings at this inspection were as follows:

  • 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.
  • Comprehensive care plans were developed to ensure patients’ needs were identified and met.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had received training that provided them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Regular clinical and whole practice meetings were held.
  • 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named 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 provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour although some staff were not familiar with the term duty of candour.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider should make improvements.

  • Consider fitting a lock to the door of the new consulting room to ensure this room and its contents were secure when not in use.
  • Carry out a review of drugs held in the practice for managing medical emergencies.
  • Continue efforts to develop the patient participation group.
  • Obtain paediatric pads for the defibrillator.
  • Formalise and record all audit activity to demonstrate audits were embedded in practice and used to improve patient outcomes.
  • Continue to obtain written consent for minor surgery.
  • Carry out a review of patient group directions to check they are all countersigned by the practice manager.


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 Barrowford Surgery Limited

on 2 February 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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. 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 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 areas where the provider must make improvements are

  • Put in place effective checking systems for equipment, medication and fridge temperatures to ensure risks to patients are minimised.

  • Carry out a fire risk assessment and regular testing of fire systems. Ensure staff be fully aware of evacuation procedures

  • Risk assessments must be in place including health and safety and legionella assessments

  • Emergency medications and equipment for emergency procedures must be in date and easily accessible.

  • Recruitment arrangements must include evidence of all necessary employment checks for staff.

In addition the provider should:

  • Have effective infection control systems in place with training for key staff and with links made with the Infection and Control (IPC) teams for advice and support.

  • Improve handling of blank prescription forms to reflect nationally accepted guidance as detailed in NHS Protect Security of prescription forms guidance.

  • Have written consent in place for minor surgery where more invasive procedures i.e. excisions occurred.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice