Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Jubilee Medical Group on 14 December 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 for reporting and recording significant events and learning from these was discussed and shared at practice meetings, acted on and embedded in practice.
• The practice proactively implemented changes to their systems and processes as a result of significant events and complaints to help ensure improvements for patients.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, including infection prevention and control.
• 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.
• The practice uptake for attendance at national screening programmes for bowel and breast cancer screening was higher than the clinical commissioning group (CCG) and national average.
• The practice encouraged early detection and prevention of cancer by raising awareness, encouraging attendance at national screening programmes, telephoning patients who did not respond to their screening reminder to make an appointment and following up two week wait referrals to help ensure these had been received.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment and this was reflected in the 49 CQC comment cards completed prior to the inspection.
• 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 responsibility for the care of patients at two nursing homes and visited on a weekly basis. They also had responsibility for patients at three further care homes, a learning disability service and a number of warden controlled retirement facilities which were also visited weekly by a designated GP.
• Data from the national GP patient survey rated the practice higher than the clinical commissioning group (CCG) and the same as the national average for telephone access.
• The practice had good facilities and made good use of all available space 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 sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider worked in partnership with the patient participation group (PPG) to deliver a series of talks to patients regarding areas such as the importance of the early detection of cancer.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw one areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice sent leaflets to local schools with information for young carers. They were proactive in identifying and supporting young carers.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice