Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr S R Gibbins and Partners on 20 April 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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 older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health (including those with dementia).

Our key findings were as follows:

• 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 found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group (PPG).

There were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• Expand the availability of emergency medicines to ensure that they are age appropriate.

• Introduce a method of recording cleaning activities undertaken to evidence they have taken place.

• Provide staff with regular appraisals and support personal development plans or record the reasons they cannot be met.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice