King-Lewis Family Practice

This service is rated as Good overall.

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

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at King-Lewis Family Practice on 20 October 2022 as part of our inspection programme.

King-Lewis Family Practice is an independent provider of GP services to adults and children.

The medical director is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Our key findings were:

• There was an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and monitored. However, infection prevention and control procedures should be improved.
• The practice was equipped to deal with medical emergencies and staff were suitably trained in emergency procedures.
• There was a system in place to receive safety alerts issued by government departments such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA); however, there was no system in place to evidence the actions taken.
• Staff had the skills, knowledge, and experience to deliver effective care and treatment. Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence-based guidance.
• To ensure and monitor the quality of the service, the service completed audits which showed the effectiveness of the service; however, the provider had not undertaken any completed cycle clinical audits where improvements were implemented and monitored.
• Information about services and how to complain was available in the provider’s website and they were easy to understand.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity, and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The service had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. However, the premises were not suitable for people who used a wheelchair; the provider informed us that patients with mobility impairments and wheelchair users could be seen in the local private hospital.
• The service held a range of policies and procedures which were in place to govern activity; staff were able to access these policies.
• We saw there was leadership within the service and the team worked together in a cohesive, supported, and open manner.
• The service proactively sought feedback from patients, which it acted on.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Improve infection prevention and control arrangements in place.
• Implement a system to monitor the implementation of medicines and safety alerts.
• Undertake appraisals on a regular basis.
• Undertake completed cycle clinical audits where improvements were implemented and monitored.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

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