Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Vasanti Sandrasagra on 12 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 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 been trained in order 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 with GPs, but they rated the practice below average for several areas of consultations with the nurse.
• 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.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs, but there were no baby changing facilities.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
• The practice held regular governance and clinical meetings.

• Practice specific policies were implemented and were available to all staff, but the business continuity plan was not comprehensive.

• 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 an area of outstanding practice:

• The practice nurse had won an award from the Greenwich Stop Smoking Service for being the top smoking cessation advisor and for demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment in 2014/2015. The nurse had supported seven out of the 10 patients who signed up for this service to successfully stop smoking. This represented a success rate of 70%, which was above the national average of 51%.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure all staff receive training on the use of the defibrillator.

• Continually monitor patient feedback, particularly in relation to consultations with nurses, to identify and act on further areas for improvement.

• Ensure regular fire evacuation drills are conducted.

• Ensure the business continuity plan is comprehensive.

• Ensure annual infection control audits are conducted and that they are documented.

• Review the need to have baby changing facilities available.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice