Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 16 June. 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:

• Arrange for a fire risk assessment to be carried out at the Greenside Road Practice.

• Ensure annual infection control audits are carried out.

• Review patient experience of booking routine appointments further to patient feedback during the inspection.

• Review how they identify carers to ensure their needs are known and can be met.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, they were a General Practitioner (GP) at the practice. We also spoke with another GP, the practice manager, the assistant practice manager, a receptionist and four patients who used the practice.

One patient told us, “I am very happy with the practice, the GP’s and reception staff are very nice. The GP always listens to me and explains what treatment I need and what the outcome might be”. Another patient said “I have been coming here for twenty five years and I would recommend the practice to anyone. The GP is very reassuring and I am always treated with dignity and respect. The GP made a referral for me and I am sure that saved my life”. Another patient said “Not everybody can say that they like going to see the doctor but I am very happy to come here because the staff get on well with people”. Another patient said “The GPs are good at listening and explaining things, they are kind and respectful however I feel they can rush the appointments a bit”.

We saw that the practice had safeguarding policies that related to adults and children and there was a lead contact for each of these at the practice.

We saw the practice was clean and well maintained throughout. Patients said the practice was always clean and tidy.

We saw that the practice had effective systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received. We found that patient's views were taken into account to improve the practice for patients.