Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Collingwood Road Surgery on 18 March 2015. Overall the practice was 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 older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people living in vulnerable circumstances, and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

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, addressed and shared with staff during meetings.

• Risks to patients were identified, assessed, and well managed.

• Patients’ requirements were evaluated and care was designed and provided following best practice guidance.

• Staff had received training suitable to their roles and any further training needs had been recognised and planned for.

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were included in the care and decisions made about their treatment.

• Information about services and how to complain was readily available and easy to understand. Complaints were investigated and responded to appropriately.

• The practice had suitable 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.

Importantly the provider should:

• Implement formal risk assessment procedures to assess which staff may require a criminal records check.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice