Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Eastham Group Practice - KJ Bush on 26 July 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good; however the practice was rated as requiring improvement for providing safe services. The full comprehensive report on the July 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Eastham Group Practice - KJ Bush on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused follow up inspection carried out on 25 April 2017. This was to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 26 July 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Temperature sensitive medicines were stored and maintained safely and within the required range of temperature in medical fridges. Storage temperatures were monitored in order to identify any variations from the required range.
• Sterile equipment was appropriate and checks were maintained on the equipment to ensure they were sterile and within expiry dates for sterility.
• Prescription pads were stored securely.
• Improvements had been made to the minor ops room and cleaning schedules included specific instructions for the cleaning of this area.

In addition the practice had made the following improvements:

• The audit programme had been reviewed and now included six monthly infection control audits and audits of minor surgical procedures including infection rates.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Eastham Group Practice - KJ Bush on 26 July 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. Safety alerts were received and acted upon.
• 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.
• Staff had been trained to deal with medical emergencies and emergency medicines and equipment were available.
• Improvements were needed to ensure the safe storage of computer prescription pads and temperature sensitive medicines.
• Infection control procedures were in place however improvements were needed to ensure sterile equipment was used safely and the minor ops room was fit for purpose.
• 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 told us routine and urgent appointments were available the same day for all children and those patients who needed them.
• 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.
• Staff were supervised, felt involved and worked as a team.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider must improve are:

• The provider must ensure correct procedures are followed if the temperatures fall outside of the required range for temperature sensitive medicines to minimise the risk of adverse effects on the medicines.

• The provider must monitor all sterile equipment to ensure it is fit for purpose and does not exceed its expiry date.

• The provider must ensure that all prescription pads are stored securely.

• The provider must ensure that the minor ops room clean utility and handwashing facilities are suitable and fit for purpose.

• The provider must ensure that the cleaning schedule includes specific details of cleaning for the minor ops room.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review the audit programme for infection control procedures to include annual auditing.

• Review the audit programme to include audit of minor surgical procedures for infection rates.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice