Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sloan Medical Centre on 15 November 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.

• The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems, processes and practices in place to keep patients safeguarded from abuse.

• 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.

• The practice offered an annual one-stop shop for patients with a learning disability. The GP carried out a medical review, gave vaccinations, took blood tests and monitored their vital signs. The GP also worked closely with the community dentist who provided a specialist service for patients with a learning disability.

• 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.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The practice worked closely with other agencies to promote health improvement. For example, Age UK, Shipshape, and Digital Health.

• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from patients, which it acted on.

• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

• The practice had developed a new diabetes service. The practice had invited patients with diabetes to a meeting to find out what their understanding of the disease was and what their expectations were. As part of the initial review the GPs used the patient activation measures assessment tool (This established how able the patient was to engage in managing their own health). The GPs then contacted patients and provided the level of support dependent upon their ability to manage and understand their disease. This helped the practice to provide increased support to those who needed it. The service also linked in with community providers such as Digital Health, and Age UK.

We saw an one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice hosted Digital Health, a not for profit charitable organisation that introduced patients to digital technology so they could become more informed about their health. Digital Health offers both group and one to one support. With volunteer support, Digital Health and the practice held monthly coffee mornings for patients who were isolated. The average attendance at each group was 20. Feedback from patients suggested that the introduction to using the internet had provided them with access to information to help manage their health and understand their condition.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• The provider should make sure that staff check the emergency equipment to make sure it is always correct and safe to use and document their findings.

• The provider should make sure the adult and children safeguarding policies contain the names of the GP leads.

• The provider should continue to improve the systems in place to monitor the prevention and management of infection control. 

• Ensure the response letter to the patient, following a complaint, contains details of who the patient could refer the complaint to, if they were not satisfied with the practices response.

• Further review and monitor patient satisfaction in respect of accessing the practice by telephone.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice