- GP practice
Archived: Phoenix Medical Practice
Important:
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All Inspections
4 April 2017
During an inspection looking at part of the service
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Phoenix Medical Practice on 8 November 2016. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the November 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Phoenix Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 4 April 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 8 November 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.
Overall the practice is now rated as good.
Our key findings were as follows:
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The practice had revised systems, processes and practices to help keep patients, staff and visitors safe.
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The practice was able to demonstrate they were following guidance on the management of medicines.
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The practice was able to demonstrate that risks to patients, staff and visitors were being assessed and well managed.
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Some staff had received training to help them identify patients who were also carers. The practice had identified 75 patients on the practice list who were also carers.
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The practice had introduced a system so that patients were able to make appointments online.
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The practice had revised complaints management and was able to demonstrate that complaints received an initial acknowledgement letter within the time frame stipulated in their complaints policy.
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Governance arrangements had been revised to help ensure they were effectively implemented.
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The practice had revised the system that managed and recorded actions taken as the result of receiving national patient safety alerts.
However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
The provider should:
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Continue to identify patients who are also carers to help ensure eligible patients are offered relevant support.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice
8 November 2016
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Phoenix Medical Practice on 8 November 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- There was an open and transparent approach to safety and a system for reporting and recording significant events.
- The arrangements for managing medicines in the practice did not always keep patients safe.
- Risks to patients were assessed but not always well managed.
- Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
- There was evidence of clinical audits driving quality improvement.
- Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
- The practice had a website and patients were able to order repeat prescriptions and view their records online. However, patients were unable to book appointments online.
- Some patients told us they found it difficult to book routine appointments with a GP. However, they were able to obtain an appointment with a GP that suited their needs in an emergency.
- Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns. However, records showed that complainants did not always receive an initial written acknowledgement letter.
- 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 gathered feedback from patients through the patient participation group (PPG), complaints received, patient surveys and by carrying out analysis of the results from the GP patient survey and the Friends and Family Test.
- The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
The areas where the provider must make improvements are;
- Revise medicines management and ensure that all medicines held by the practice are stored at the correct temperature and are within their expiry date and safe to use.
- Ensure that repeat prescriptions are signed by a GP before transfer of the medicines to the patient, except in exceptional circumstances.
- Ensure the system that monitors blank prescriptions through the practice includes blank prescription pads.
- Revise risk management activity to ensure risks associated with fire safety are adequately managed.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are;
- Keep records of domestic cleaning carried out in the practice as well as the water temperature from hot and cold water outlets.
- Continue to identify patients who are also carers to help ensure they are offered appropriate support.
- Implement plans to introduce online appointment booking by patients.
- Revise complaints management to follow the practice’s written guidance on handling complaints.
- Keep records of action taken or if no action was necessary in response to receipt of all notifiable safety incidents.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice