Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Glenridding Health Centre on 20th October 2017. Overall the practice is rated as outstanding.

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.
• 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.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• 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 the management team.
• The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on. Rigorous and constructive challenge from people who use services, the public and stakeholders was welcomed and seen as a vital way of holding the service to account
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.
• The leadership drove continuous improvement and staff were accountable for delivering change. Safe innovation was celebrated. There was a clear and proactive approach to seeking out and embedding new ways of providing care and treatment.

We saw some examples of outstanding practice:

• Since the new provider had taken over the practice a number of new initiatives had been put in place, such as a video consultation pilot for some of their housebound and elderly patients living in more rural locations. This not only allowed patients to access timely consultations with a practice GP but also enabled more socially isolated patients to connect with other users of the system and access video games and puzzles.

• The practice played an integral role in the local community and we saw numerous examples of joint working with other organisations to improve health outcomes, tackle care inequalities and obtain best value for money. The benefits of this reached beyond their own patient group, as they were able to help a nearby practice to improve their access to GP appointments.

There was one area where the provider should make improvements:

• Continue to investigate ways for increasing uptake of health reviews and screening.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice