Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Peter’s Medical Centre on 17 August 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. The full comprehensive report on the August 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for St Peter’s Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 12 October 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 17 August 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:
At the inspection on 17 August 2016, the practice was rated overall as ‘good’. However, within the key question safe, areas were identified as ‘requires improvement’, as the practice was not meeting the legislation around ensuring adequate arrangements were in place to ensure care and treatment to patients was provided in a safe way in relation to the provision of medical equipment. The practice was issued a requirement notice under Regulation 12, Safe care and treatment.
Other areas identified where the practice was advised they should make improvements within the key question of safe included:
-
Complete and record a risk assessment of the practice’s decision not to stock medicine excluded from the emergency medicines kit.
-
Review staff records to confirm pre-employment reference checks are documented for all staff.
-
Secure with the landlord of the premises, the implementation of action arising from the latest fire risk assessment.
At our October 2017 inspection we reviewed the practice’s action plan submitted in response to our previous inspection and a range of supporting documents which demonstrated they are now meeting the requirements of Regulation 12, Safe care and treatment, of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The practice also demonstrated improvement in the other areas identified in the report from August 2016 which did not affect ratings. These improvements have been documented in the safe section, showing how the registered person has demonstrated continuous improvement since the full inspection.
Areas identified at the August 2016 inspection where the practice was advised they should make improvements within another key question of caring included:
At our October 2017 inspection we found significant improvements in the display and content of information to patients. Patient information leaflets, the practice leaflet and patient booklet had been updated and were available within the patient waiting room; the layout of the patient information board had been improved; the patient information screen had been updated and the practice manager trained in its use; and the practice website had been updated and its content managed at practice level to ensure information is kept accurate and current. We saw the minutes from the July 2017 PPG meeting, where members commented positively regarding changes.
The practice had also improved the security of patient records previously kept in unlocked cabinets and boxes. All such records, including confidential waste, were now stored in lockable cabinets or boxes and secure key management arrangements were in place.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice