The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Linden Medical Group

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Linden Medical Centre, 54 Linden Avenue, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN15 7NX (01536) 512104

Provided and run by:
Linden Medical Group

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the following Regulated Activities:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures

• Family Planning

• Maternity and Midwifery Services

• Surgical Procedures

• Treatment of Diseases, Disorders or Injury

Linden Medical Group provides care for approximately 17,000 patients. The service covers Kettering town, Barton Seagrave, Cranford, Geddington, Grafton Underwood, Isham, Pytchley, Warkton and Weekley. The practice holds a General Medical Services contract, a nationally agreed contract and is situated within Northamptonshire Integrated Care System (ICS).

Linden Medical Group provides care from two premises. The main surgery is Linden Medical Centre and branch surgery is Ise Medical Centre.

We carried out an announced focused assessment in September 2024. Remote interviews and evidence assessment took place between 9 and 24 September 2024 and an onsite assessment was undertaken on 16 September 2024.

We carried out the assessment as the service had not been assessed since we reviewed the information and data available to us about Linden Medical Group on 6 July 2023. At the time of our review back in July 2023 we did not find evidence that we need to reassess the rating at that stage; therefore, we continued to monitor information about this service.

Overall, the practice is rated as Good. Key questions, Safe, Responsive and Well-Led are rated Good. Quality statements within the effective key questions were not all viewed as part of this assessment; therefore, legacy outstanding rating for effective remains in place. As part of this inspection we did not assess caring key question.

6 July 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Linden Medical Group on 6 July 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored and reviewed and the results shared with staff including lessons learned.

  • Safe arrangements were in place for staff recruitment that protected patients from risks of harm. Staff numbers were regularly reviewed to enable them to meet patients’ needs and plans were in place to increase clinical sessions.

  • There were robust on-going arrangements in place to protect patients and others from unnecessary infections.

  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training had been encouraged and planned.

  • Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their treatment.

  • Information about how to make a complaint was readily available and easy to understand. Complaints received were dealt with appropriately and clear explanations given to complainants.

  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to assess and treat patients.

  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff told us they felt well supported by senior staff. Management sought feedback from patients which it acted on.

  • The provider was aware of the requirements of the Duty of Candour and we saw where this had been applied concerning a complaint.

We saw an area of outstanding practice:

  • The practice was pro-active in identifying patients who were carers and had registered 3% of the practice population as carers. An additional support mechanism included a designated member of staff who maintained telephone contact with carers. The Northamptonshire Carers Association had given the practice two awards for the work they carried out for carers. Staff had commenced work in identifying young carers aged between five and 17 years. The carers pack included support services that were available for young carers including social activities. The practice website included a wealth of information about carers.

However, there was an area of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should;

  • Continue working towards ensuring correct coding is applied for patients with long-term conditions.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

22 October 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with patients at the practice and they told us that they found the practice to be excellent. One person told us that they had been a practice member for a long time and if they were not happy with it then they would not keep coming back. Another patient told us that they had been at the practice since infancy and had never had any problems.

We spoke with patients about booking an appointment and they told us that they felt there were no problems. One patient told us that they have never had a problem booking an appointment at the time they wanted although they have never had to ask for an emergency appointment. We also found that another patient had booked an emergency appointment recently and received one the same day.