Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Radford Medical Practice – Kaur on 9 May 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 managing significant events. Learning was shared with staff and action was taken to improve the service.

• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. This included medicines management, recruitment checks on staff and procedures for dealing with medical emergencies.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and the patient participation group.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• 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.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

• There was a demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and improvement to patient outcomes by all staff. For example, the practice participated in research studies and was accredited as a teaching practice for medical students. Practice staff had also developed information for carers of patients with dementia and for parents of children aged under five years with eczema as part of patient education.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure review dates are documented on the significant event forms to enable staff to monitor all agreed actions are completed.
• Review arrangements to make sure care plans for patients are robust and contain up to date information including for people aged 75 and over.
• Continue to identify carers proactively and improve their care.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice