Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Morley Health Centre Surgery on 13 October 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 generally assessed and well managed. However, issues were identified during the inspection in relation to infection prevention and control which needed improvement.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
• Patients told us on the day that they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. This view was not fully supported by data from the national GP patient survey which showed mixed satisfaction in relation to consultations with GPs and nurses.
• 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. The practice had a dedicated complaints, comments and suggestions leaflet available and had developed a Patients’ Charter which highlighted services and standards that patients could expect to receive.
• Patients said they found it easy to get in contact with the practice on the telephone 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 should make improvement are:

• The practice should reinstate infection prevention and control audits at regular intervals, in line with the latest guidance

• Continue to provide regular update training for the infection prevention and control lead to enable them to fully carry out their duties in this area of work.

• Review the immunity status of staff in relation to measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox in order to assure themselves that their staff were adequately protected in line with the latest guidance.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice