This service is rated as Good overall.

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

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (GP service) on 5 December 2018.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the service was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

The service manager is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.

At this inspection we found:

• There was a process in place for significant events. These were discussed at staff meetings and the learning was shared.
• The systems relating to medicines management kept patients safe.
• There was a system in place for the safe recruitment of staff. There was no process for checking staff immunisation status, although there were records of the immunisation status of most of the clinical staff records viewed.
• Staff had access to appropriate training for their role.
• The service kept up to date with latest guidance. They used this as appropriate to their service.
• Patients felt treated with dignity and respect.
• There was a system to deal with complaints. The audit trail associated with this could be strengthened.
• Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities.
• There was a clear leadership structure in place.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the recruitment process to include checks on the immunisation status of staff.
• Display the complaints process in the reception area.
• Review the documentation kept in relation to the complaints and significant events processes (communication with affected patients), to ensure that there is sufficient evidence trail of actions taken, and to demonstrate duty of candour has been complied with.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice