Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Stony Medical Centre on 5 January 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 were able to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice engaged with the CCG to provide additional services to improve outcomes for patients.
• 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 practice recognised the needs of vulnerable patients aged over 75 and provided them with tailored care and support through a nurse led case management project.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We saw two areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice was involved in two pilot schemes providing two Primary Care Outpatient Clinics (PCOCs) for dermatology and gynaecology enabling patients across the locality (including those registered at other practices) to receive services they would normally only receive in secondary care.
• The practice was one of seven POCT (point of care testing) hub practices in the locality, enabling them to receive referrals from other practices to provide patient care that would normally be provided in a secondary care setting. For example, the practice were able to test patients presenting symptoms of blood clots.

However, there was one area where the provider should make improvement:

• To review arrangements for the security of emergency medicines when the practice is closed to ensure newly implemented systems are sustained.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice