This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating under former provider April 2016 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection 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 49 Marine Avenue Surgery on 10 July 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had made a number of improvements since changing provider in September 2016.
• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
• Staff told us they felt supported during the change of provider.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

We also saw an area of outstanding practice:

• The provider operated a closed social media group to deliver educational sessions, to help promote staff learning and skills development. These were live stream sessions to which all of the provider’s clinical staff were invited. These sessions covered a range of topics such as: managing diabetes for patients with end-of-life needs; improving referrals management; the use of a haematology ‘app’ (this session was led by a consultant doctor); the development of a scoring tool to promote better antibiotic prescribing.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Continue to take steps to ensure that staff training is up to date and there is a central record of what training has been completed.
• Continue to ensure all staff receive an annual appraisal.
• Make information about how to make a complaint available to patients in the waiting area without them having to ask for it at reception.
• Continue to look for ways to identify patients who may be carers.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.