Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Devon Road Surgery on 22 November 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system for reporting and recording significant events. Learning from these was discussed and shared at practice meetings.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, including infection prevention and control.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• The practice had a designated stop smoking advisor and held two clinics each week, one during extended hours to help people to access the service and stop smoking.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment and this was reflected in data from the national GP patient survey.
• The GPs at the practice each had a personal list of registered patients.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• Data from the national GP patient survey rated the practice higher than the clinical commissioning group and the national average for being able to see or speak to their preferred GP.
• Data from the national GP patient survey rated the practice higher than the clinical commissioning group (CCG) and the national average for telephone access and most other areas.
• The practice had responsibility for the care of patients at two nursing homes and a residential home and a designated GP visited each on a weekly basis.
• 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 proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Continue to identify patients with caring responsibilities to help ensure they are offered appropriate support.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice