Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rainbow Medical Centre, St Helen’s on 10 March 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Rainbow Medical Centre provided effective, responsive care that was well led and addressed the needs of the population it served. The service was safe, caring and compassionate. It was also good for providing services for all of the population groups.

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

• Systems were in place to ensure incidents and significant events were identified, investigated and reported. Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Lessons learnt were disseminated to staff. Infection risks and medicines were managed safely.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current legislation and guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned. Patients experienced outcomes that were in line with or above the national average. For example, care plans were in place for vulnerable and older patients to reduce unplanned admissions to hospital and annual reviews for people with long term conditions were carried out.

• Patients spoke highly of the practice. They said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Information was provided to help patients understand the care available to them.

• The practice provided good care to its population that was responsive to their health needs. Patients were listened to and feedback was acted upon. Complaints were managed appropriately. 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.

• The practice monitored, evaluated and improved services. Staff enjoyed working for the practice and felt well supported and valued. 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.

There were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Ensure a suitable system is in place for identifying and managing local risks associated with the building in which the practice was based. For example general, environmental and health and safety risk assessments, including the risks presented by legionella. (A bacterium found in the environment which can contaminate water systems in buildings).

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice