Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Arcadian Gardens Surgery on 18 January 2017. Overall the practice is rated as Good.

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

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Telephone consultations were available to patients who were unable to attend the surgery during normal opening hours and for those who could not attend the practice
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had a dignity champion whose focus was to ensure that individuals at the practice were treated with dignity, care and respect.
• The practice was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review how patients with caring responsibilities are identified and recorded on the clinical system to ensure information, advice and support is available to them.
• Ensure that a programme of regular fire drills is devised and implemented

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

When we inspected on 11 December 2013, we noted that the practice had not implemented some of the actions recommended in a February 2013 infection control audit. For example, treatment rooms were still carpeted and a legionella risk assessment had not yet taken place. This meant that the provider was failing to comply with the requirements of Regulation 12 Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. We asked the provider to take action.

At this inspection, we saw that carpeting in treatment rooms had been replaced with non permeable flooring. A legionella risk assessment had also taken place and the subsequent recommended removal of a water storage tank had taken place. We found that the actions taken by the provider was sufficient to comply with the requirements of the regulation.

We visited Arcadian Gardens surgery and spoke with five patients, two GPs, the practice manager, a receptionist and an administrator. People told us they were satisfied with the service they received from the surgery. One person said "both doctors are good", and another person said "they treat me with respect". People told us that they did not have difficulties making appointments.

We spoke with the two doctors who told us how they involved people in their treatment plans and how they ensured that they explain to people about their treatment and conditions. We saw that information was available in written form (via leaflets and print outs) so people were informed about their treatments and conditions.

The surgery was clean and hygienic. However some of the recommendations which had been highlighted in a premises audit had not been actioned. This meant that there were some areas relating to infection control which could present risks.

Both clinical and non-clinical staff at the practice told us they felt supported and we saw that training took place in relevant areas such as safeguarding adults and children. The practice had regular meetings to ensure that up to date information was shared.

We saw that the practice conducted internal surveys and audits and acted on the results of these to make improvements in clinical care. We saw that they responded appropriately to complaints in line with their own complaints policy.