Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Headcorn Surgery on 10 May 2017. 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 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.

We saw areas of outstanding practice:

• There were innovative approaches to providing integrated person-centred care. The practice held a monthly multi-disciplinary meeting (known as Tender Loving Care (TLC) meetings). The meetings purpose included ensuring that patients’ emotional and social needs were met and given equal importance alongside their healthcare needs. Attendees included a Health and Social Care Co-ordinator, a district nurse,social services,an admiral nurse (admiral nurses local hospice staff, a continence nurse and long term conditions nurse.

• The practice had developed an innovative recording tool (called Headcorn Educational Learning Points (HELP) for non-clinical incidents that was understood, regularly used and valued by all staff.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice