This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating December 2014 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dalefield Surgery on 12 June 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

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 it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• 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 practice manager had been in post since February 2018.
• The practice had changed its clinical system six days prior to the inspection.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We inspected Dalefield Surgery on the 11th December 2014 as part of our comprehensive inspection programme.

From all the evidence gathered during the inspection process we have rated the practice as good.

During our inspection the comments from patients were positive about the care and treatment they received. Feedback included individual praise of staff for their care and kindness and going the extra mile.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in care and treatment decisions.
• The practice was clean and equipment was maintained.
• Patients reported good access to the practice and a named GP which provided continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• Staff understand their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents.
• There are a range of qualified staff to meet patients’ needs and keep them safe.
• People’s needs are assessed and care is planned and delivered in line with current legislation.
• The practice works with other health and social care providers to achieve the best outcomes for patients.

We saw several areas of outstanding practice including:

• Funding has been secured by a group of practices, including Dalefield to support the needs of Non English Speaking Patients (NESP) who make up approximately 9% of the practice population, by employing NESP workers to support patients at the practice and other practices in the Bolton area. For all NESP patients 20 minute appointments were booked and interpreters were available via a telephone service, to ensure full medical histories were taken and patients’ needs were assessed. For new NESP patients a referral would be made to a NESP worker who provided comprehensive interventions for patients and their families.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)

Chief Inspector of General Practice