Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Wawn Street Surgery on 11 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Staff told us there was a no blame culture and they were encouraged to report incidents.
• 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.
• Most patients said they were able to get an appointment with a GP when they needed one, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• Some patients found it difficult to get through to the practice on the telephone; the practice had carried out extensive reviews of the telephone system and had recently submitted a bid for funding from NHS England to make improvements to the telephone system.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure in place and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which they acted on.
• Staff and managers were very organised and there were efficient and effective work processes in place.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels within the practice. The practice team was forward thinking and had implemented a number of innovative systems.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice