Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Lindley Group Practice on 25 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care for all of the population groups it serves.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following local and national care pathways and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.
• There was good access to clinicians and patients said they generally found it easy to make an appointment. There was continuity of care and if urgent care was needed patients were seen on the same day as requested. In addition to appointments, the practice provided an open access clinic three mornings a week.
• The practice staff had a good understanding of the needs of their practice population and were flexible in their service delivery to meet patient demands. The practice continually audited patient demand for appointments. Locums were used occasionally to meet increased demand.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The practice sought views on how improvements could be made to the service, through the use of patient surveys, the NHS Friends and Family Test and engagement with patients and their local community.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• The practice had an organised approach to working systems and processes. There was a signatory sheet for all policies to evidence that staff had seen them.
• There were effective safeguarding systems in place to protect patients and staff from abuse.
• The practice promoted a culture of openness and honesty. All staff were encouraged and supported to record any incidents using the electronic reporting system. There was evidence of good investigation, learning and sharing mechanisms in place.
• There was a clear leadership structure, staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities and told us the GPs were accessible and supportive. There was evidence of an inclusive team approach to providing services and care for patients.
• Staff had a ‘mini-meeting’ every working day to discuss any issues or concerns within the practice
• Staff said they were proud to work at the practice and felt they delivered good quality service and care to patients.
• The practice complied with the requirements of the duty of candour. (The duty of candour is a set of specific legal requirements that providers of services must follow when things go wrong with care and treatment.)

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice