This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection April 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

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Staveleigh Medical Centre on 3 May 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• 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.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

We saw one area of outstanding practice for example:

• The practice was innovative in developing their clinical IT system to monitor patients and deliver care and treatment in line with current guidance and best practice. They had developed 68 clinical protocols which included high risk medications, smoking, Osteoporosis and suspected urinary tract infection (UTI). The protocols were regularly reviewed by a lead GP and amended where appropriate. We were provided with details of how these protocols were improving outcomes for patients.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Staveleigh medical centre provided primary medical services in the centre of Stalybridge Monday to Friday. The practice is open between 08:30 and 18:00. The practice also provided home visits for people who were not well enough to attend the centre.

The majority of patients we spoke with during our inspection were happy with the care and treatment that they received. Care and treatment was provided in a clean and hygienic environment and there were systems in place to ensure the safety of patients, including infection control and child protection. However systems to ensure vulnerable adults were protected from harm were inconsistent.

Arrangements were in place for medicines such as, vaccines and emergency drugs within the practice and these were stored safely, apart from medicines within GPs bags for home visits. We identified gaps in the system to check medicines, resulting in out of date drugs including adrenaline being found in two of three GPs bags. This was a breach of Regulation 13 HSCA 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 Medicines management.

Patients felt they received a caring service and told us they were involved in discussions about the health care they received and we saw patients being treated with sensitivity and respect by reception staff.

We found the service was effective in meeting the wide ranging needs of patients. The practice worked effectively with other health and social care professionals, as well as the out of hours service to provide coordinated care for patients.

The service was responsive to the needs of the patients attending the service. All staff had access to equipment, guidance, protocols and pathways to make clinical decisions and provide safe effective care for patients.

Staff described the service as well led and staff at all levels felt supported. Information to ensure staff were up to date was routinely shared with staff via email and through formal and informal meetings.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Staveleigh Medical Centre on 21st April 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing well-led, effective, caring, responsive and safe services. It was also good for providing services for the populations groups we rate.

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.
• Majority of patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a 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.
• Following our previous inspection the practice had made al the required improvements in medicines management required under the Health and Social care Act 2012.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice