This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating 25/11/2014– 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 inspection at Davenal House Surgery on 12 October 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. We received positive comments from patients who had completed CQC comment cards.

•Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it. Patients were positive about having telephone access to GPs.

•One of the practice nurses carried out home visits to elderly housebound patients and visited them if they had falls or when they had been discharged from hospital.

•There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation. The trainees at the practice gave positive feedback about the support and training they have received.

•The practice was recently given an award from the Deanery for the high quality support offered to trainees.

•The practice had developed innovative ways of using the IT system in order to respond to patients’ needs.

There were a few areas where the practice should make improvements:

•Ensure all staff are aware who the safeguarding lead is.

•Ensure all members of staff have received annual appraisals.

•Record near misses at the dispensary and ensure the date on which medicines are checked is recorded in the dispensary as this was not always formalised.

•Ensure the door of the dispensary is kept locked at all times.

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 carried out a comprehensive inspection of Davenal House Surgery Partnership on 25 November 2014. The practice also has a branch surgery at Stoke Prior which we did not inspect on this occasion. We found Davenal House Surgery Partnership provided a good service to patients in all of the five key areas we looked at. This applied to patients across all age ranges and to patients with varied needs due to their health or social circumstances.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had comprehensive systems for monitoring and maintaining the safety of the practice and the care and treatment they provided to their patients
• The practice was proactive in helping people with long term conditions to manage their health and had arrangements in place to make sure their health was monitored regularly
• The practice was clean and hygienic and had robust arrangements for reducing the risks from healthcare associated infections
• Patients felt that they were treated with dignity and respect. They felt that their GP listened to them and treated them as individuals
• The practice had a well-established and well trained team and had expertise and experience in a wide range of health conditions

We also found the following area of outstanding practice:

• The practice introduced a Friday morning ‘drop in’ session for babies and children. This was targeted at parents who were not sure if they needed a GP appointment for their child. Appointments were not needed and a GP, practice nurse and health visitor were available.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice