Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Farnham Medical Centre on 22 September 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents and near misses.

• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• Outcomes for patients who use services were good.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.

• Staff were consistent and proactive in supporting patients to live healthier lives through a targeted approach to health promotion. Information was provided to patients to help them understand the care and treatment available

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.

• The practice had a system in place for handling complaints and concerns and responded quickly to any complaints.

• The practice had reviewed their telephone and appointment system, following feedback from patients. This had improved and they were due to carry out a review of the changes implemented.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• There was a clear leadership structure in place and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which they acted on.

• Staff throughout the practice worked well together as a team.

• The practice was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw an area of outstanding practice which was:

• The practice was part of a frailty/multi-morbidity project. This involved identifying patients who were either palliative or housebound who had polypharmacy and three or more long term conditions. Polypharmacy is the use of four or more medications by a patient. A visit was arranged to see the patient and an advanced care plan was compiled. Patients who had been seen so far in the project included 20 in nursing homes and 35 in their own home. This had resulted in medication reviews and as a result of this there were further investigations with referrals to the memory clinic, continence clinic and geriatric assessments.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out this inspection in response to concerns raised regarding waiting times to see a doctor.

The majority of patients we spoke with during our visit were satisfied with the care and treatment they received at the doctor’s surgery. They felt that they were able to access appointments with the doctors within a reasonable time frame particularly in the event of an emergency or when they were unwell.

One patient said “I have not had to wait long to see a doctor, if my first choice isn’t available one of the other two tend to be available.” Another patient said “Since I have registered here it has been spot on, I have been satisfied with this practice and I don’t think I have ever had to wait long for an appointment”.

Another patient told us that “Generally things were alright”. They also told us there were times when they had been kept waiting for their appointment but staff kept them updated as to why there were delays. A patient told us staff were “Very helpful” and another patient said the GPs were “All very nice.”