We carried out an announced comprehensive at Brunton Park Health Centre on 11 December 2018. This was as part of our ongoing 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 rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups

. (Previous rating Feb 2015 – Good)

At this inspection we found:

• 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 they provided. They ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines. The practice had achieved 100% of the points available within the Quality and Outcomes Framework for providing recommended treatments for the most commonly found clinical conditions. They had high uptake of childhood immunisations and cancer screening initiatives.
• The practice had a strong approach to training and development and actively encouraged staff to take up development opportunities.
• 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.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review the processes for identifying which reported incidents and near misses are investigated through the significant events process to identify a wider range of these that the practice could learn from.
• Review the information provided to locums in the resource pack to ensure it is up to date and fit for purpose.

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 Brunton Park Health Centre on 10 February 2015. Overall, the practice is rated as good. Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It was also good for providing services for the six key population groups.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was appropriately recorded and reviewed;
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed;
• The practice was clean, hygienic and good infection control arrangements were in place;
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and that they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment;
• Information about the services provided and how to raise any concerns or complaints, was accessible and easy to understand;
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment and urgent same-day access was available;
• 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 actively sought feedback from patients.

However, there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements. Importantly the provider should:

• Ensure non-clinical staff carrying out chaperone duties undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, or carry out a risk assessment to determine which staff roles do not require one;
• Consider carrying out a risk assessment to determine which emergency drugs are not required by the practice.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice