Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Helens Medical Centre on 10 March 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 in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• 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.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

There was a practice outreach team comprised of a practice funded Community Care Liaison Nurse (CCLN) and a healthcare assistant who worked with patients over the age of 75, referred by the practice staff, outside agencies and those who self-refer to support of the needs of older people. The role of the healthcare assistant was to undertake health checks, with the aim of avoiding admission to hospital, provide care planning, work with patients pre and post dementia diagnosis and with patients in their own homes to avoid a crisis.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice