The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • Independent doctor

The Northway Clinic

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

13 Minnie Baldock Street, London, E16 1YE (020) 3405 0860

Provided and run by:
Baltic Medical Centre 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 The Northway Clinic 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 The Northway Clinic, you can give feedback on this service.

2 December 2022

During a routine inspection

This service is rated as Good overall.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Northway Clinic to enable the Commission to provide a quality rating for the services provided. We previously carried out inspections of The Northway Clinic location on 7 April 2022 and on 8 July 2022. Previous inspection reports can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Northway Clinic on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

The Northway Clinic is an independent health service based in front of Canning Town transport hub, that is approximately 5 minutes away from Canary Wharf financial district.

Our key findings were:

  • There were effective arrangements to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse and harm.
  • Systems were in place for patients’ clinical needs assessment, care and prescribing in line with evidence-based guidance.
  • The service had systems to identify and learn from significant incidents.
  • The appropriateness of clinical care and treatment was reviewed effectively, including through clinical peer review and quality improvement activity.
  • 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.
  • There was a positive working culture and effective leadership and governance arrangements were in place.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services

8 July 2022

During an inspection looking at part of the service

This service was inspected and not rated overall.

We previously carried out an announced focused inspection of The Northway Clinic location on 7 April 2022 and found the practice was in breach of Regulation 12: ‘Safe care and treatment’ and Regulation 17 ‘Good governance’ of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. We urgently suspended the providers registration an 8 April 2022 for a period of six months in line with the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) enforcement processes and under Section 31 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, in respect of regulated activities undertaken at The Northway Clinic location. This notice of urgent suspension of the provider’s registration was imposed because we believed that a person would have or may have been be exposed to the risk of harm if we did not take this action. The full report for the previous 7 April 2022 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Northway Clinic on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

The provider requested we inspect The Northway Clinic location again prior to the expiry of its suspension, to assess whether sufficient improvements had been made to lift the suspension. We carried out an announced focused inspection onsite on 8 July 2022 and reviewed further evidence off site on 13 July 2022 and found the practice had taken sufficient action lift the suspension we imposed.

The 8 and 13 July 2022 inspection was focused on risks we found at the previous 7 April 2022 inspection. As a result, the following key questions were partly inspected but not rated.

Are services safe? – Inspected but not rated

Are services effective? – Inspected but not rated

Are services well-led? - Inspected but not rated

The Northway Clinic is an independent health service based in front of Canning Town transport hub, that is approximately 5 minutes away from Canary Wharf financial district.

Our key findings were:

  • There were systems to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse and harm.
  • Systems were in place for patients’ clinical needs assessment, care and prescribing in line with evidence-based guidance.
  • The service had systems to identify and learn from significant incidents.
  • The appropriateness of clinical care and treatment was reviewed effectively, including through quality improvement activity.
  • Effective short to mid-term leadership and governance arrangements were implemented, and the provider had plans to sustain appropriate arrangements in the longer term.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Ensure longer term plans for sustainable and effective clinical leadership and governance.
  • Review and improve the prescribing policy, including regarding controlled drugs.

On 15 July 2022 the provider was issued with a notice to confirm that the suspension of the registration as a service provider under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 that began on 8 April would end on 20 July 2022 and the service would be able to resume carrying out Regulated Activities on 20 July 2022.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

7 April 2022

During a routine inspection

This service was inspected and not rated overall.

We carried out an announced inspection of The Northway Clinic on 7 April 2022 as part of our inspection programme. The inspection commenced as a full comprehensive inspection but was changed to a focused risk-based inspection, this was in response to multiple clinical risks we found on the inspection day. As a result the key following key questions were partly inspected but not rated.

Are services safe? – Inspected but not rated

Are services effective? – Inspected but not rated

Are services well-led? - Inspected but not rated

The Northway Clinic is an independent health service based in front of Canning Town transport hub, that is approximately 5 minutes away from Canary Wharf financial district.

Our key findings were:

  • There were no effective systems to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse.
  • Patients’ clinical needs assessment, care and prescribing was not always in line with evidence-based guidance, and some patients were at risk of harm.
  • The service did not identify or learn from significant incidents.
  • The appropriateness of clinical care and treatment was not reviewed effectively, through quality improvement activity or by any other means.
  • Staff felt supported by management, but leadership and governance arrangements were ineffective.

The areas where the provider must make improvements as they are in breach of regulations are:

  • Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

The areas the provider should improve are:

  • Review and improve communication and access arrangements for patients that may need this, such as translation services.
  • Review and improve arrangements for patients informed consent.
  • Review and improve arrangements for staff checks such as immunity status and DBS checks.
  • Review and improve arrangements such as storage and documentation for medicines dispensed.

On 8 April 2022, the Nominated individual of The Baltic Medical Centre Limited that is also the Registered Manager of The Northway Clinic was issued with an urgent notice to suspend their registration as a service provider for six months; in respect of regulated activities undertaken at The Northway Clinic, under Section 31 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This notice of urgent suspension of the provider’s registration was given because we believed that a person will or may be exposed to the risk of harm if we did not take this action. The provider has the right to make an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. The provider will be inspected again prior to the expiry of the suspension to assess whether sufficient improvements have been made.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care