Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Wellspring Surgery on June 2 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing well-led, safe, effective, caring and responsive services. It was good for providing services for the older people, people with long term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

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

• Staff knew how to report significant events and we found that action had been taken in response to safety alerts. Actions were taken following investigations in to significant events and we saw evidence that these were re assessed to consider the impact they had on patients. 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.
• The practice worked with other agencies to ensure the care and support provided to children and vulnerable adults was coordinated and effective.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
• Staff were aware of how to support patients whose capacity to understand and make decisions may be limited, for example for patients with dementia.
• 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. Complaints were dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by the management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted upon.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice