Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hillcrest Surgery on 3 August 2016. We found that the practice required improvement for the provision of safe services because breaches of regulation were identified. The full comprehensive report on the 3 August 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Hillcrest Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 6 July 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 3 August 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had ensured that identified risks relating to infection control and fire safety had been actioned and managed.
• Systems and processes for the safe management of medicines had been reviewed and improved.
• Policies relating to the maintenance of patient confidentiality had been implemented.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

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 Hillcrest Surgery on 3 August 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 had access to a physiotherapy service and a counselling service at the practice which reduced the need for them to travel further afield to receive treatment.
• The practice had a library available to patients and the wider community for self-help topics.
• 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 must make improvement are:

• The provider must ensure there are safe systems in place to assess, monitor, manage and mitigate risks to the health and safety of service users associated with the medicines management specifically contolled medicines,patient specific directionss and prescription security.’The provider should ensure that safe systems are in place for handling confidential waste.

• The provider must implement a protocol for the secure use of NHS ‘Smart cards’ (cards issued to health professionals for secure access to confidential information, as governed by registration authorities) which maintains patient confidentiality.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The provider should ensure that the systems for infection control management are maintained and up to date.

• The provider should ensure the health and safety protocols and systems are updated to meet the changed facilities at the practice.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Most of the people we met at Hillcrest Surgery were happy with their medical care. Most people said they could get an appointment to suit them and understood the system of triage run by the practice.

We found the practice respected the dignity and independence of people they looked after. People were able to make decisions about their treatment. They were treated with consideration and respect by all staff at the practice.

The practice assessed the needs of people it cared for. This ensured people's care was safe and appropriate. The practice was mostly maintained with appropriate standards of cleanliness and hygiene to prevent and control the spread of infections. The practice had arrangements in place for ensuring staff were supported, trained and appraised to enable them to deliver care to a safe appropriate standard.

The premises were safe and secure. There was adequate maintenance to the buildings and surrounding grounds. There was, however, no recent review of the arrangements for improving access for people with disabilities.