Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

Our key findings were as follows:

• 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 responsive to the needs of patients and operated a flexible system for routine health reviews and promotion appointments.
• The practice performed above or in line with local and nationally set targets for assessing and meeting the needs of patients.
• The practice was well managed with staff and patients reporting that they felt valued and were involved in making decisions.

However, there was an area of practice where the provider needed to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Ensure that records are maintained that evidence risk assessments, investigation of complaints and other events, which are carried out.
• Ensure that there are clear cleaning schedules that describe the cleaning for clinical areas. 
• Review the arrangements for making test results available to patients where they fail to contact the surgery.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice