Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Kingfisher Practice on 19 September 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.
• Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Results from the most recent national GP patient survey, published in July 2017, showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• We witnessed a strong focus on improvement at all levels within the practice driven by supportive leadership and cohesive working.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients we spoke with said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP, 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 practice was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had recognised that some patients were frequently visiting A &E and/or requesting home visits. These patients were identified as being socially isolated and vulnerable, often contacting health services as a means of accessing human contact rather than due to ill health. The practice classified these patients as ‘TLC and Welfare patients’ and appointed a dedicated Welfare Champion and deputy. The Welfare Champion made weekly calls to these patients to check on their general wellbeing and ensure they were receiving appropriate support. These patients also had a bypass telephone number to contact the practice if needed. At the time of our inspection there were 52 TLC patients and eight welfare patients receiving this support. [FJ1][GR2]

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Continue with efforts to identify and support more carers in their patient population.
• Continue with efforts to monitor and improve performance to ensure improvements are sustained; in particular with regard to the management of patients with long term conditions and those with learning disabilities.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice