Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr C.P.M. Lewis & Partners on 19 January 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. Not all non-clinical staff understood how to recognise and report 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, however verbal complaints were not always recorded.
• Most 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.
• Staff had an understanding of consent and the Mental Capacity Act, however there was not a consent policy in place to support staff in making or documenting decisions about consent.
• 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.
• There was a range of staff meetings which were recorded. There was limited sharing of information across the whole practice, as a result of this some non-clinical staff lacked an understanding of the practice performance and vision.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Update all staff on the recognition and recording of significant events.

• Ensure verbal complaints are always recorded.

• Introduce a consent policy.

Ensure the practice performance and vision is shared with all staff.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We reviewed the information available to us about Dr. C.P.M. Lewis & Partners on 24 May 2019. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.