Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Essex House Surgery – Flood on 20 September 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. However, the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. This was because the provider did not have a defibrillator available at the practice or an appropriate risk assessment to indicate how they would deal with a medical emergency.

The full comprehensive report can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Essex House Surgery – Flood on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced desk-based follow up inspection carried out on 9 November 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breach in regulation 12 that we identified in our previous inspection on 20 September 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements.

Overall the practice is rated as good. Specifically the practice was now found to be good for providing safe services.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had access to an automated external defibrillator (AED) for use in medical emergencies.

• The practice had worked with a charity and local community organisations to secure a defibrillator that would be accessible for use by the practice and the local community.

• The practice had arranged resuscitation training sessions for November 2017 that could be attended by staff, patients and the public.

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 Essex House Surgery on 20 September 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 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:

• Ensure that you have a defibrillator available on the premises or an appropriate risk assessment confirming how you intend to respond to a patient requiring a defibrillator within the recommended three minutes.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice