Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We conducted a comprehensive announced inspection on 11 March 2015 under the new approach.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It was also good for providing services for the older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people living in vulnerable circumstances, and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

Our key findings were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed, addressed and shared with staff during meetings.
• Risks to patients were assessed and managed.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
• 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 readily available and easy to understand.
• 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.

However, there was an area of practice where the provider needed to make improvements.

The provider should

• Ensure that regular infection control audits, including audits in relation to minor surgical procedures are carried out to test the effectiveness of infection control policies, procedures and practices.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice