Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bethany Medical Centre on 18 March 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Bethany Medical Centre provided safe, effective, responsive care that was well led. The service was caring and compassionate and met the needs of the population it served.

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

• Systems were in place to ensure incidents and significant events were identified, investigated and reported. Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Lessons learnt from the investigation of safety incidents were disseminated to staff. Infection risks and medicines were managed safely.

• People’s needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current legislation and guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned. Patients experienced clinical outcomes that were in line with or above the national average.

• Patients spoke highly of the practice. They said they were treated with care, compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Information was provided to help patients understand the care available to them.

• The practice provided good care to its population that was responsive to their health needs. Patients were listened to and feedback was acted upon. Complaints were managed appropriately. Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was good continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.

• There was a clear leadership structure, staff enjoyed working for the practice and felt well supported and valued. The practice monitored, evaluated and improved services. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

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

The provider should:

• Implement a system for identifying and managing local risks associated with the practice. For example general environmental and health and safety risk assessments including the risks presented by legionella. (A bacterium found in the environment which can contaminate water systems in buildings).
• Ensure its recruitment arrangements are in line with Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to ensure necessary employment checks are in place for all staff and the required information in respect of workers is held.
• Ensure that all staff are suitably trained and updated in emergency procedures such as basic life support and fire drill training.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice