Wigan GP practice back on track after watchdog inspection

Dr D. Pal and Dr M. Pal, based at Golborne Health Centre, has been rated as “good” across the board by the Care Quality Commission despite missing the mark during a visit last year.

Staff at the surgery, which is run by Dr Dharam Pal and Dr Madhu Pal, have been commended for bringing services up to scratch from the “requires improvement” rating and meeting industry standards in all five categories of inspection.

The visiting panel concluded in a report released this week: “At the last inspection in May 2018 we rated the practice as good for the key questions effective, caring and responsive; and requires improvement for safe and well led.

“The overall rating was requires improvement.

“This was because the practice did not ensure care and treatment was provided in a safe way to patients.

“There were not effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

“At this inspection, we found that the provider had satisfactorily addressed these areas.”

Medical and support staff at the Kidglove Road centre were praised in particular for the way that they dealt with their staff with “kindness and respect” and in a “timely manner”.

During the inspection in May 2018, concerns were raised that not all of the systems in place to manage patient safety were “adequate”.

CQC inspectors requested that the practice produce a report to explain how the practice would address its concerns.

Following the most recent visit in January - the watchdog team wrote: “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.”