Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

When we visited St Peter’s Surgery on 18 October 2016 to carry out a comprehensive inspection we rated them as good overall. However, we found the practice required improvement for the provision of safe services and said they must:

• Ensure a comprehensive fire risk assessment is completed and actions are taken to improve fire safety.

• Ensure an effective business continuity plan is completed and maintained so emergencies can be effectively managed.

We also said they should;

• Review the processes for the identification and support of patients who may also have caring responsibilities, so that their needs are appropriately met.

   

• Review the processes for checking emergency equipment and medicines.

   

• Continue to review arrangements for routine appointments to give patients access in a timely way.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 31 May 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified at our previous inspection. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements. This report should be read in conjunction with the full report of our inspection on 18 October 2016, which can be found on our website at

www.cqc.org.uk

.

The practice is now rated as good for the provision of safe services. Overall the practice rating remains as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice sent us a comprehensive fire risk assessment that met the regulatory requirements.

• The practice had a business continuity plan that set out how they would respond to major incidents such as flooding or IT failure to minimise service disruption.

• The practice had an appropriate system to ensure all emergency medicines and equipment was in date and suitable for use.

• The practice had reviewed their arrangements for routine appointments to give patients access in a timely way.  We were told the practice reviewed this regularly and we saw evidence to confirm this.

• The practice had reviewed how they identified and supported patients who may also have caring responsibilities. At our previous inspection in October we saw 15 patients had been identified as carers. On this inspection we saw the practice had identified 35 patients as carers. This equates to 0.7% of the practice list.  However, it is estimated that 10% of patients are carers. Therefore:

One area where the practice should

make improvement is:

• To continue to work to identify and supported patients who may also have caring responsibilities.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

When we visited St Peter’s Surgery on 18 October 2016 to carry out a comprehensive inspection we rated them as good overall. However, we found the practice required improvement for the provision of safe services and said they must:

• Ensure a comprehensive fire risk assessment is completed and actions are taken to improve fire safety.

• Ensure an effective business continuity plan is completed and maintained so emergencies can be effectively managed.

We also said they should;

• Review the processes for the identification and support of patients who may also have caring responsibilities, so that their needs are appropriately met.

   

• Review the processes for checking emergency equipment and medicines.

   

• Continue to review arrangements for routine appointments to give patients access in a timely way.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 31 May 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified at our previous inspection. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements. This report should be read in conjunction with the full report of our inspection on 18 October 2016, which can be found on our website at

www.cqc.org.uk

.

The practice is now rated as good for the provision of safe services. Overall the practice rating remains as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice sent us a comprehensive fire risk assessment that met the regulatory requirements.

• The practice had a business continuity plan that set out how they would respond to major incidents such as flooding or IT failure to minimise service disruption.

• The practice had an appropriate system to ensure all emergency medicines and equipment was in date and suitable for use.

• The practice had reviewed their arrangements for routine appointments to give patients access in a timely way.  We were told the practice reviewed this regularly and we saw evidence to confirm this.

• The practice had reviewed how they identified and supported patients who may also have caring responsibilities. At our previous inspection in October we saw 15 patients had been identified as carers. On this inspection we saw the practice had identified 35 patients as carers. This equates to 0.7% of the practice list.  However, it is estimated that 10% of patients are carers. Therefore:

One area where the practice should

make improvement is:

• To continue to work to identify and supported patients who may also have caring responsibilities.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We spoke with ten patients who were visiting the surgery the day of our inspection. We also spoke with the three GP partners, practice manager, practice nurse and three administrative staff. Some of the patients told us said they’d “never had any problems getting an appointment; I can be seen the same day if it’s an emergency”. Whilst others stated they had problems getting through on the telephone especially in the morning. Overall patients were happy with the service they received from the surgery and the staff.

The provider had suitable arrangements in place that respected the dignity and privacy of patients'. The provider took proper steps to ensure patients were protected against the risks of receiving care or treatment that was inappropriate or unsafe.

There were suitable arrangements in place for all staff to be able to recognise and report safeguarding concerns to the relevant person and authority. Patients' were protected from the risk of infection because appropriate guidance had been followed.

Patients were cared and supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff.

The provider had an effective system in place to identify, assess and manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of patient using the service and others.