Archived: Dr Simon Edoman Also known as The Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 3 November 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 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 found it easy to make an appointment and there was good continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• 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 provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We noted an area of outstanding practice: -

The practice was currently the only one in the Islington and neighbouring CCGs which sees patients who had been removed from their previous GP’s lists for threatening behaviour. These patients were seen outside normal surgery hours. The provider had up to eight patients who had been referred under a Directed Enhanced Service, commissioned originally by the Primary Care Trust. We saw positive comments from service commissioners, including the provider and staff being commended for their approach. It was stated that it was preferable for patients to remain with the practice, rather than returning to their original GPs, as the practice was able to offer the patients stability and continuity of care they would otherwise not receive.

However, there was an area of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• The practice should continue with plans to appoint a female GP to provide an appropriate and full healthcare service for female patients.
• It should continue to monitor the patient survey results relating to GP consultations and take appropriate steps should there be no significant improvement, compared with local and national averages.

Professor Steve Field

CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice