Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Tame Valley Medical Centre on 5 August 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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, including those relating to recruitment checks.

• 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.

• Data showed patient outcomes were in line with those locally and nationally.
• Feedback from patients about their care was consistently and strongly positive.

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.

• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a result of feedback from patients.

• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.

• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment 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.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Tame Valley Medical Centre provided primary medical services in the centre of Ashton Under Lyne Monday to Friday. The practice was open between 08:00 and 18:00, with extended opening on Mondays until 19:30pm and early opening on Tuesdays at 07:00. The practice also provided home visits for people who were not well enough to attend the centre. Tame Valley Medical Centre are registered to provide the following regulated activities: Diagnostic and screening procedures, Family planning, Maternity and midwifery services, Surgical procedures and Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The majority of patients we spoke with during our inspection were happy with the care and treatment that they received.

We saw the service was provided in a clean and hygienic environment and there were systems in place to ensure the safety of patients. However systems to ensure vulnerable adults were protected from harm were inconsistent and cleaning practices were not in line with policy. The practice assured us they would address this immediately.

We found overall medicines management was safe, with the practice making appropriate checks on medicines.

Patients received a caring service and told us that 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. They used best practice guidance and worked effectively with other health and social care professionals, as well as out of hour’s services to provide joined up care for patients. The service was responsive to the needs of the patients attending the practice. All staff had access to equipment, guidance, protocols and pathways to make clinical decisions and provide safe effective care for patients.

The new manager had a clear action plan in place of policies, procedures and tasks which needed to be completed to bring the practice up to date. Staff described the service as well led and staff at all levels felt supported. Information was routinely shared with staff via email and through formal and informal meetings.