Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Parsons Heath Medical Practice on 19 January 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff knew how to raise concerns, and report safety incidents. Safety information was recorded, monitored, and reviewed to identify trends or recurrent themes. When safety events occurred they were investigated and any issues identified were shared with all staff members.

• Risks to patients were well managed. The system for assessing risks included those associated with; premises, equipment, medicines, and infection control.

• Patient care was planned and provided to reflect best practice and recommended current clinical guidance.

• Staff had received appropriate training for their roles and further training had been encouraged, recognised and planned.

• Information regarding how to complain was available at the practice and on the practice website.

• The practice staff members had received training regarding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, and knew who to contact with any concerns.

• The practice was suitably equipped to treat patients and meet their requirements. The equipment had been checked and maintained to ensure it was safe to use.

• Patient comments were positive when we spoke with them during the inspection. Members of the virtual practice patient participation group were proactive and keen to be involved with practice development.

• The leadership structure at the practice was well-established and all the staff members we spoke with said they felt supported in their working roles by both the practice manager and the GPs.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Parsons Heath Medical Centre provides primary care services for approximately 11,000 patients in Colchester.

The regulated activities we inspected were diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, maternity and midwifery services, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

We spoke with patients and carers on the day of the inspection. Every response was complimentary and positive about the service provided. We spoke with members of the Patient Participation Group (PPG) and they told us they felt the practice listened to them and actions that were identified were acted on.

The practice was providing safe care. The practice learned from incidents, complaints and patient feedback and took action to improve to ensure safe patient care. 

The care and treatment provided to patients was effective. There was evidence of clinical audits taking place to ensure positive clinical outcomes for patients.

The service was caring with all staff displaying a positive attitude towards patients and their care and treatment.

The service was responsive to patients’ needs. Complaints were investigated and responded to and lessons were learned to improve practice.

The service was well-led. There were visible and responsive leaders and a culture of openness where all staff felt valued, respected, able to express their views and be heard. All practice staff had shared vision and values and there was an expectation of high standards of patient care.

We looked at how services were provided for specific groups within the population. These were, vulnerable older people (over 75), people with long-term conditions, mothers, babies, children and young people, working age population and those recently retired (aged up to 74), people in vulnerable circumstances who may have poor access to primary care, and people experiencing a mental health problem. We found that the practice had adequate arrangements to look after the needs of the patients in these groups.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

The practice was rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection 19 January 2016 - Good)

The key questions were rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:

Older People – Good

People with long-term conditions – Good

Families, children and young people – Good

Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Parsons Heath Medical Practice as part of our continued inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice used systems to manage risk and safety incidents to reduce the likelihood of occurrence.
• When incidents happened, learning was shared with all staff and their procedures were improved at the practice.
• Incidents were regularly reviewed for effectiveness and appropriateness of the care provided at the practice.
• We saw care and treatment was delivered according to evidence-based guidelines.
• All staff had received a ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ (DBS) check.
• Policies were practice specific, had been updated, and reviewed. All staff knew where and how to access them.
• The emergency equipment and medicine monitoring processes were found to be effective.
• Evidence of the two-week wait referral procedure was well managed to ensure patients were not missed.
• Patients told us they were involved in their treatment and treated with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• The appointment system was easy for patients to access when needed.
• There was a strong focus on learning and improvement throughout the practice.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice