We also had telephone and email contact with the provider on 21 and 23 October 2013 and 01 November 2013, with regards to carrying out an additional interview with a clinical member of staff. The patients we spoke with were satisfied staff at the practice listened to their views, showed them respect and involved them in decisions about their care and treatment. I came in this morning to pick my prescription up and they fitted me in to see the GP.' Another patient said, 'It has a really nice, laid back atmosphere – it doesn't seem stressful.' A disabled patient told us the new building was really good and that it was 'Clean and fresh with a lift so you don't have to climb the stairs.'

Patients who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

The premises were clean, hygienic and patients were protected from the risk of infection because appropriate arrangements had been made to prevent and control the spread of infection.

Effective recruitment and selection processes were in place.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Benfield Park Medical Group on 15 and 23 October 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all 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, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and infection control.
• 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 needs had been identified and planned.

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The practice was developing their website to include easy read information to help patients with learning disabilities to understand their services.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that 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.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly, the provider should

• Review the policy and procedures relating to the chaperone service, to ensure patients and staff are protected by having appropriately recruited and trained chaperones.

• Continue to monitor and improve their approach to infection control by regularly undertaking an audit of their infection control procedures. Also have spillage kits on site so they can safely clean any spillage of bodily fluids.

• Consider the arrangements for checking the maintenance of the cold chain for vaccines stored at the branch surgery, when no practice nurse is due to be on duty that day.

• Ensure that all staff are offered the opportunity to receive an appraisal on a regular basis.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice