Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection 7 January 2015- Good)

The key questions are 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 inspection at Somerset Gardens Family Health Care Centre

on 23 November 2017 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice improved their processes (although we noted that learning was not always shared with relevant staff members).

• Results from the national GP patient survey showed that patients’ satisfaction with how they could access care and treatment were below local and national averages. However, we saw evidence of actions taken to improve how people could access appointments and services in a way and at a time that suited them.

• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

• All staff were actively engaged in activities to monitor and improve quality and outcomes.

• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

• We saw examples of inclusive leadership.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review how learning from significant events is shared amongst staff.

• Monitor recently introduced initiatives aimed at improving patient satisfaction on appointments access.

• Continue to monitor and improve child immunisation uptake (5 year olds).

• Ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to monitor the risk from Legionella (a term for a particular bacterium which can contaminate water systems in buildings).

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Somerset Gardens Family Health Care Centre on 7 January 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, well-led, effective, caring and responsive services. It was also good for providing services for all the population groups including older people; people with long term conditions; mothers, babies, children and young people; the working age populations and those recently retired; people in vulnerable circumstances and people experiencing poor mental health.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.

• Risks to patients 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 any further training needs had been identified and planned.

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.

• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.

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

• 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.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice