We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hylton Medical Group on 18 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme (previous ratings April 2015 – inadequate, February 2016 – requires improvement, February 2017 – inadequate, September 2017 – good).

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 have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups, except people with long-term conditions, which we rated as outstanding.

We rated the practice as outstanding for providing responsive services people with long-term conditions because:

• A system to support patients living with cancer; capturing information about the patient which followed them through primary and secondary care, and offering comprehensive, meaningful health checks, had been developed and successfully implemented. The practice’s approach had been adopted by many other local practices.

We found that:

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• 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. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Review their arrangements for ensuring that staff have received the relevant vaccinations.

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

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Hylton Medical Group on 21 April 2015. The practice was judged to be inadequate and placed in special measures.

On 4 February 2016 we carried out an announced comprehensive inspection and found that improvements had been made. In recognition of the improvements made the practice was rated overall as requires improvement.

We carried out a further announced comprehensive inspection on 2 February 2017. The overall rating for the practice was inadequate and the practice was placed in special measures for another period of six months. The full comprehensive reports on the previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Hylton Medical Group on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was undertaken following the period of special measures and was an announced comprehensive inspection on 28 September and 3 October 2017. Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had made significant progress since the last inspection and had addressed all areas of concern.
• We found improvements in the overall governance arrangements, clinical governance, leadership and clinical effectiveness.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses.
• 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.
• Patients said they were able to get an appointment with a GP when they needed one, 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 in place and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which they acted on.
• Staff throughout the practice worked well together as a team.

The area where the provider should make improvements are:

• Take steps to record the distribution of pre-printed prescription form stock within the practice.

I am taking this service out of special measures. This recognises the significant improvements made to the quality of care provided by the service.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice