We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Beacon Medical on 12 February 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

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 previously inspected the practice on 12 May 2016. We found the practice was Good overall and Requires Improvement for providing Safe services. We said the practice must put in place a system to manage the implementation of national medicines and safety alerts and ensure recruitment procedures and policy is followed and arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff. At the inspection on 12 February 2019 we found this was satisfactory.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

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.

The area where the provider should make improvement are:

• Continue to monitor the documented management of test results is working.
• Improving the identification of carers that are registered at the practice.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Beacon Medical on 12 May 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

• 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 managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks.
• 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.
• When things went wrong reviews and investigations were not thorough enough and lessons learned were not communicated widely enough to support improvement.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Data showed patient outcomes were similar compared to the national average. Although some audits had been carried out, we saw no evidence that audits were driving improvements to patient outcomes.
• Information about services and how to complain was available on the website and easy to understand. Some improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• 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 good facilities and 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 practice had a number of policies and procedures to govern activity.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

• Put in place a procedure to manage the implementation national medicines and safety alerts within the practice.
• Ensure recruitment procedures and policy is followed and arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Improving the identification of carers that are registered at the practice
• Carry out two-cycle clinical audits to improve patient outcomes.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice