Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Southfields Group Practice on 16 February 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.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• 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.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• 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 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.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had identified a number of patients who were in need of regular medical support and monitoring for their health conditions, but were frequently not attending appointments. On investigation, these patients were not able to make their own way to the practice and would instead use the ambulance service to attend the local hospital accident & emergency (A&E) department. A practice funded trial of booking identified patients a return taxi journey for their appointment was successful in increasing attendance for routine appointments at the surgery and reducing the need for these patients to use A&E and ambulance services. This scheme is predominantly used by elderly patients with multiple healthcare needs but GPs can provide this service to any patient where needed. The local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) were unable to find funding for this scheme but due to the impact on improved patient outcomes and the reduced impact on other NHS services, the practice continued to fund the scheme themselves.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The practice should consider reinstating formal governance meetings.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice