Archived: Freeman Clinics Limited

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Freeman Clinics Limited (also known as Battle Hill Health Centre) on 6 September 2016. Overall, the practice is rated as good.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near-misses, and they are fully supported when they do so. Staff monitored and reviewed the activities carried out by locum GP staff to help them understand potential risks to safety, and obstacles to effective performance, so they could take appropriate steps to minimise them.

• There were clearly defined and embedded systems and processes, which helped to keep patients safe from harm.

• Services were tailored to meet the needs of individual patients and were delivered in a way that promoted flexibility and choice.

• Nationally reported Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) data showed that the practice’s overall performance was above the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and national averages.

• Results from the NHS GP Patient Survey of the practice showed that patient satisfaction levels regarding the convenience of appointments, telephone access and appointment availability, were either above, or broadly in line with, the local CCG and national averages. Staff were committed to improving access for patients.This included the provision of an additional 13 pre-bookable appointments on a Saturday and Sunday, at the walk-in-centre service.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.

• Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect. Data from the NHS National GP Patient Survey of the practice showed patients rated them either higher than, or broadly in line with, local CCG and national averages, for most aspects of care. Staff also demonstrated their caring approach to patients through their participation in events organised by the practice, to raise funds for local charities.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The arrangements for governance and performance management were effective. Clinical audit was used to monitor quality and to make improvements. Staff had completed some very well structured first cycle audits, but now needed to move on to complete the second cycles of these audits.

• The practice had a well-developed vision regarding how they would deliver high-quality person-centre care, and were actively taking steps to deliver this, in collaboration with their commissioners.

We saw an area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had a very effective process in place for managing complaints. Staff genuinely welcomed complaints and saw patient feedback as an opportunity for learning and development. Complaints were handled in a way that allowed a gentle yet effective response to the patient, and which supported and encouraged clinicians to respond openly and learn from errors.

However, there were also areas where the provider needs to make improvements. The provider should :

• Develop a planned, structured approach to carrying out clinical audits.

• Improve the identification of carers within the practice.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice