Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Newsome Surgery on 31 August 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 assessed and well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• 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 available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent and routine appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The practice offered family planning services including the fitting of coils and contraceptive implants. Minor surgery and dermatology clinics were also provided.
• 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 improvements are:

• Review the arrangements for monitoring the issuing of prescription pads to clinicians.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We spoke with three people who were pleased with the service they received from the practice. Comments included:

"Our receptionists are wonderful."

"Where people have raised an issue it seems that it is dealt with quickly as people don't come back with the same issue."

"You ring by a certain time in the morning and you are seen that day."

"The practice listen and respond to what people say."

We saw that the practice sought the views of people as the practice had an established patient participation group. Feedback from the patient participation group meetings were available on the practice website and in the waiting room.

We spoke with five members of staff who told us they enjoyed working at the practice.

During our inspection we found the practice did not have effective recruitment and selection processes in place.