This practice is rated as Good overall. The practice was previously inspected on 26 February 2016 and rated good overall.

The key questions at this inspection 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 Storrsdale Medical Centre on 7 September 2018 as part of our risk based inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had taken on approximately 400 more patients since our last inspection and in response had changed its operating model, in line with the NHS Five Year Forward view, by changing its staffing and appointment structure to enable more appointments to be available to patients with the appropriate clinician. Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they could access care when they needed it.
• There was an emphasis on staff well -being and equality and diversity. Staff were suitably trained for their roles.
• 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. However, we found an example of a safeguarding incident that had not been fully investigated or reported to us. The practice advised us after the inspection that they will be carrying out an incident analysis.
• The practice had emergency medication and equipment but we found there was no monitoring system for expiry dates of defibrillator pads and that they were five months out of date. We were advised during the inspection that these had been ordered.
• There was no monitoring system for the security of blank prescriptions in use in the practice or for home visits. We were advised after the inspection that a system had been put in place.
• There was a complaints system but improvements were needed in terms of monitoring verbal complaints and making sure the system was in line with NHS guidance. We were advised after the inspection that a new system had been put in place.
• 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.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the practice.

We saw areas of outstanding practice:

• For the past five years, the practice had worked successfully with a local charity and had formed a group called ‘Storrsdale Friends’ to combat loneliness within the elderly population group. This involved monthly Sunday lunches held at the practice with members of staff, their families and other patients.
• The practice kept a referral log whereby all referrals were peer reviewed prior to being sent to ensure the appropriateness of the referral.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review the practice protocols around prescription security to ensure the written guidance available is implemented.
• Review the practice protocols around managing complaints so that trends from all types of complaints can be monitored.
• Include the expiry dates of defibrillator pads in their emergency equipment monitoring.
• Review their responsibilities to recognise and take the necessary action to make a safeguarding notification to CQC.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Storrsdale Medical Centre on 26 February 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good. The practice is rated as outstanding for providing a well led service and for providing services for the older population.

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

• The practice was clean and had good facilities including translation services and a hearing loop.
• There were systems in place to mitigate safety risks including analysing significant events and safeguarding.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current legislation.

• 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. The practice sought patient views about improvements that could be made to the service; including carrying out surveys and having a patient participation group (PPG) and acted, where possible, on feedback.

There were examples of outstanding practice including :

• Staff worked well together as a team and had recently (2015) been given two awards from the Royal College of GPs for the best practice team and the best practice management.

• An ethos that all staff took a responsibility to look after patients. There were very clear staff roles and safety netting systems. Examples included, all A&E attendances were monitored by a lead member of staff on a daily basis; all appointments were monitored on a daily basis by a lead member of staff to check patients did not miss any health checks for long term conditions; a lead member of staff for checking uncollected prescriptions. There were lead roles and responsibilities for aspects of health and safety. The practice recognised that implementing clinical governance systems ensured the safety and well-being of patients and improved the service received. For example, there were weekly staff meetings for the whole team. These were documented and in addition there was a clear action log designed to show any issues arising, what action to be taken and by whom and when. The action logs were then discussed at each meeting. All incidents or complaints no matter how minor and all audit work were discussed with the whole team to enable continuous improvement.

• The practice worked with a local charity  and had formed a group called ‘Storrsdale Friends’ to combat loneliness within the elderly population group. This involved monthly Sunday lunches held at the practice with members of staff, their families and other patients.

• The practice was proactive in looking after patients who were over 90 by routinely carrying out visits at the patient’s home.

• The practice recognised that there is an increase on Mondays for appointments for children who become ill over a weekend and had a designated children’s clinic on Monday afternoons for any health condition.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice