Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Belmont Medical Centre on 29 July 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 generally well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they felt the practice offered an excellent service and staff were professional, helpful, friendly and caring and treated them with dignity and respect.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and 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. The patient participation group was very well engaged and influenced practice development.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Revise the incident reporting form so that it supports the recording of notifiable incidents under the duty of candour.
• Optimise the security of the repeat prescription request box held in reception.
• Review the provision of a mercury spill kit to ensure one is available for use in the event of accidental damage to mercury blood pressure equipment.

• In accordance with published guidance ensure all non-clinical staff receive annual basic life support training.

• Review the need for clinical staff to receive formal MCA training.
• Display notices in the reception areas informing patients that translation services are available.
• Install a hearing loop to assist people with hearing loss.
• Review options to restrict queues forming too close to the reception desk.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We reviewed the information available to us about The Belmont Medical Centre on 23 May 2019. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.