Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St James Surgery on 18 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding safety, and reporting and recording of significant events. There were policies and procedures in place to support this.
• The practice assessed risks to patients and staff. There were systems in place to manage these risks.
• Processes and systems around medicines management kept patients safe. 
• Staff used current guidelines and best practice to inform the care and treatment they provided to patients.
• All patients said that they were treated with dignity and respect and involved in decisions about their care and treatment.
• There was a clear and effective complaints system in place. Any comments regarding suggestions for improvements using this system were also responded to by the practice.
• Patients told us that access to appointments was good. The practice had a system in place to try to provide continuity of care.
• The practice was equipped to meet the needs of its patient population.
• There was a strong leadership structure in place and staff were invested in and supported to increase their knowledge and skills.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• Where staff showed an interest in a particular clinical area, the practice supported that member of staff to gain knowledge and skill in that area. If they were unable to drive to the location the practice financially supported them to physically access the training and paid staff overtime if training took place outside of their working hours.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

St James is a GP practice providing primary care services to patients in Clacton. It provides primary care services from two sites, one at Wash Lane, Clacton, and a branch surgery at Church Square in St Osyth. We did not visit the branch surgery on this inspection.

All the patients we spoke with were complimentary about the service they had received. The results of the most recent patient survey carried out by the practice showed that patients were satisfied with the care and treatment they received.

We saw evidence that the practice responded promptly and effectively to incidents and complaints. The practice had learned from these events and made improvements.

Throughout the inspection we saw the leadership team was visible, and staff and patients found them approachable and supportive.

We saw that the practice had taken steps to ensure the service delivered was safe for patients as well as to the staff employed there. There were systems in place to ensure effective patient care and we heard about a high level of patient satisfaction with the care and treatment provided.

Patients were treated with dignity and respect in a well maintained environment which was accessible and had features that ensured patients’ privacy. The appointment system enabled patients to be seen quickly for the amount of time their needs required. The practice was responsive to the needs of patients and continuously strived to improve the service it provided through active engagement with the patient group. The practice was well led by the practice manager supported with a deputy and the partner GPs. They were supported by an engaged practice nursing and staff team.

Patients over the age of 75 were allocated a dedicated GP to oversee their individual care and treatment requirements delivered in the practice or in the patient’s own home.

Mothers, babies, children and young patients had access to specialised staff as well as dedicated clinics and health promotion materials.

The practice have made provision for the working-age population and those recently retired with some evening and early morning appointments as well as telephone consultations.

Patients not registered with St James surgery could access services there. Patients in vulnerable circumstances who may have poor access to primary care were also provided with services by the practice.

Patients experiencing poor mental health had access to psychiatric care and local counselling. Once diagnosed with poor mental health patients were monitored and offered six-monthly check-ups.