Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Lawrence and partners on 10 May 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.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Emergency medicine was checked regularly, however, the hypodermic needles in the emergency kit were out of date. These were replaced during the inspection and included in the list of checks to be carried out.
• 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.
• 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns, however, verbal complaints were not recorded at the practice.
• Patients said there were appointments available, but that getting through to the practice on the telephone could be difficult. 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review how patients access appointments by telephone.
• Review the process to record verbal complaints.
• Continue to build their Carers register and to increase awareness of support available wherever possible.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice