Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the Peninsula Medical Practice on 04 August 2015. Overall, the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents and near misses;
• Risks to patients and staff were assessed and well managed;
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and responsibilities;
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand;
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect. Most patients told us they received a good service. However, findings from the National GP Patient Survey for the practice showed that the levels of patient satisfaction were lower in some areas, such as appointment waiting times, when compared to the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and national averages;
• Information was provided to patients to help them understand the care available to them. Although most patients said access to appointments was generally good, some told us appointment waiting times were too long;
• The practice had made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback received from patients;
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by the management team. Overall, good governance arrangements were in place;
• Staff had a clear vision for the development of the practice and were committed to providing their patients with good quality care.

However, there were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• Reduce appointment waiting times;
• Ensure all new staff, including locum GP staff, receive an induction relevant to their role and responsibilities.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice