Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr WHM Matta and Partners on 4 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 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 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 equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. They had plans in place to extend their building to provide improved services for patients.
• 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:

• Implement a process to ensure that patients are requesting repeat prescriptions especially for high risk medicines or medicines for mental health related conditions.
• Continue to identify and support carers.
• Continue to monitor newly implemented process for the use of blank prescription pads.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

During our inspection on 5 February 2014, we spoke with nine people sitting in the waiting area. They told us they found the service to be welcoming, with friendly staff. We observed the staff spoke with people politely and considered privacy and confidentiality at all times. People we spoke with told us they had confidence in the surgery staff. One person said, “I have never had a problem here.” Another person said, “They give you time to talk, which is rare these days.” Some people told us they did not like the new system being trialled, which allowed a person requiring an appointment to have a same day telephone consultation with one of the GPs. Other people told us this was an invaluable service that could prevent them from having to attend the surgery.

The surgery was based over two floors with the waiting room on the ground floor. We were told that people with mobility problems would always be seen on the ground floor. This was particularly important as there was no alternative access to the first floor.

Information was clearly displayed throughout the surgery for people using the service, including health promotion, information about the practice, the services available, as well as how to raise any concerns if someone was not happy with the service provided.