The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Abercromby Family Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Grove Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, L7 7HG (0151) 295 3888

Provided and run by:
Abercromby Family Practice

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

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

6 May 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Following our previous inspection on 11 February 2020, the practice was rated Good overall and for all key questions except Requires Improvement for providing safe services:

We carried out an announced review at Abercromby Family Practice on 6 May 2021. Overall, the practice is rated as Good.

The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Abercromby Family Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we carried out this review

This review was a follow-up review of information without undertaking a site visit inspection to assess the key question – Safe.

We reviewed the breaches identified at the last inspection of Regulation 19 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Fit and proper persons. The regulation was not being met because:

  • The registered person’s recruitment procedures did not ensure that potential employees had the necessary qualifications, competence, skills and experience before starting work. In particular: Full recruitment checks had not taken place for two temporary staff members including applications, interviews or references.

We also reviewed the areas where the previous inspection identified that the provider should make an improvement by:

  • Regularly review and update policies, to contain all the information required to support staff to safeguard patients.
  • All members of the clinical team should complete safeguarding training to a level appropriate to their role.
  • Review the maintenance and protocols for relevant equipment to meet infection control requirements and include this in the infection control audit.
  • Review and update protocols for blank prescriptions to maintain security and safety and monitor that these processes are embedded.
  • Continue to review and monitor the data that falls below the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and national averages.

How we carried out the review

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 reviews differently.

This included:

  • Reviewing action plans sent to us by the provider
  • Requesting evidence from the provider
  • Speaking with the practice using video conferencing

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 did not change the overall rating for this service following our review.

We found that:

  • The breach of Regulation 19 fit and proper person had been addressed and staff recruitment changes had been made to policy and procedure.
  • Clinical staff had the appropriate safeguarding training level to their role.
  • There were effective arrangements for identifying, managing and mitigating risks.
  • Changes were made to protocols for blank prescription security and safety.
  • Data that fell below the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and national averages was reviewed, monitored and actions taken to make improvements.
  • Policies had been reviewed and updated to contain all the information required to support staff to safeguard patients.

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

11 February 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focussed inspection at Abercromby Family Practice on 11 February 2020 as part of our inspection programme.

We carried out an inspection of this service due to the length of time since the last inspection. Following our Annual Regulatory Review of the information available to us, including information provided by the practice, we planned to focus our inspection on the following key questions:

  • Safe
  • Effective
  • Well-led

From the Annual Regulatory Review we carried forward the ratings from the last comprehensive inspection for the following key questions: Caring and Responsive.

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 received 13 CQC feedback cards given to patients before and during the inspection. Comments made by patients were positive about the services provided and the practice staff.

We have rated this practice as good overall. We have rated all population groups as good.

We rated the service as requires improvement for providing safe services because:

  • The provider did not follow recruitment processes to meet requirements for all staff.

We rated the service as good for providing effective and well-led services because:

  • Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

The area where the provider must make improvements:

  • Ensure recruitment procedures are established and operated effectively to ensure only fit and proper persons are employed.

(Please see the specific details on action required at the end of this report).

The areas where the provider should make improvements:

Regularly review and update policies, to contain all the information required to support staff to safeguard patients.

All members of the clinical team should complete safeguarding training to a level appropriate to their role.

  • Review the maintenance and protocols for relevant equipment to meet infection control requirements and include this in the infection control audit.
  • Review and update protocols for blank prescriptions to maintain security and safety and monitor that these processes are embedded.
  • Continue to review and monitor the data that falls below the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and national averages.

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

21 March 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this practice on 8 October 2015. A breach of legal requirements was found. In addition, we found the practice required improvement for providing services for patients experiencing poor mental health. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice wrote to us to say what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to:

  • Regulation 18 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Staffing.

We undertook this focused inspection to check that they had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements and had made improvements for providing services for patients experiencing poor mental health. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Abercromby Family Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice had addressed the issues identified during the previous inspection. Members of staff were up to date with, or had training dates arranged for their mandatory training. New locum induction packs and supervision systems had been introduced.

  • Since the last inspection, the practice had developed new ways of working to share information and arrangements for reviews for patients experiencing poor mental health by engaging with local mental health teams.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

8 October 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Abercromby Family Practice on 8 October 2015.

Overall the practice is rated good.

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

  • The inner automatic door to the premises was not re-installed following a building refurbishment in 2012/13. This made it difficult for patients who use wheelchairs or prams to access. The building was shared with the local community health service and the practice had reported this to NHS Property Services but the matter had not yet been resolved.
  • The practice served a diverse population group and approximately 20% of patients did not speak English. The practice therefore regularly used interpreters.
  • The practice was in the process of re-evaluating the appointment system.
  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
  • There had been a high turnover of staff over the past few years due to staff career progression. A new practice manager had been employed and policies had been reviewed and some work was still in progress.

There was an element of outstanding practice in that the practice worked closely with the patient participation group (PPG) to ensure they acted on patients views. This included the PPG being involved in the recruitment process of all staff and having a direct influence on how appointments were scheduled.

However, importantly, the provider must:

  • Increase the monitoring of the clinical performance of locum and trainee GPs and ensure all staff adequately completes their induction and refresher training.

There were improvements the provider should consider:-

  • Have more information available in the waiting room and practice website about support groups for patients especially carers and how to make a complaint.
  • Carry out display screen equipment (DSE) risk assessments for all staff working at a computer as per Health and Safety Executive DSE regulations (1992) to ensure the welfare of their staff.
  • Install a fully functioning panic alarm system for the safety of staff and for use in medical emergencies.
  • Increase the monitoring of patients who are experiencing mental health issues to improve patient outcomes.
  • Improve infection control monitoring for the premises with regard to the condition of toilet facilities and clinical waste disposal.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice