This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating February 2017 – Good)
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 Southey Green Medical Centre on 19 February 2019 as part of our inspection programme.
At this inspection we found:
- 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.
- 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 treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. However, some patients commented they had difficulty accessing the practice by telephone to make an appointment and sometimes had to wait a long time to be seen once they attended for an appointment.
- There was a focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Develop an overview of safety alerts and actions taken to share with relevant staff.
- Review systems for checking the immunisation status of staff in line with the Department of Health Immunisation Against Infectious Disease guidance (the Green Book).
- Take action to ensure the practice manager receives an annual appraisal.
- Improve the process for recording actions taken by a GP from hospital letters with regard to children who do not attend for a hospital appointment.
- Review the code used to identify vulnerable adults on the computer system.
- Continue to monitor the prescribing of hypnotic medication to ensure it is appropriate.
- Continue to listen to patient feedback regarding access to an appointment and length of wait to be seen when attending for an appointment.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care
Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.