Archived: Drs Davies, Taylor & Golton Also known as Rotherfield Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this practice on 23 February 2016. Breaches of Regulatory requirements were found during that inspection within the safe and effective domains. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice sent us an action plan detailing what they would do to meet the regulatory responsibilities in relation to the following:

• To ensure staff appraisals are undertaken for all staff on an annual basis.
• To ensure that appropriate training for staff is completed and monitored to ensure that time frames for re-training are met. This includes training in respect of fire safety, infection control, safeguarding (adults and children) and information governance.
• To ensure that all safety assessments are undertaken and reviewed as required.
• To ensure the provider takes action to address issues identified in the infection control audit.

We undertook this focused inspection on 29 September 2016 to check that the provider had followed their action plan and to confirm that they now met regulatory requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Drs Davies, Taylor & Golton on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This report should be read in conjunction with the last report published in June 2016. Our key findings across the areas we inspected were as follows:-

• We saw that there was a system in place to ensure staff undertook an appraisal and that this meeting detailed objectives for the staff member and documented any training requirements.
• We saw that there was a system in place to ensure all staff undertook required training and that there was an effective system in place to monitor this.
• We saw evidence that all required safety assessments had been completed and a plan in place to ensure these took place as required.
• We saw that action had been undertaken to remedy issues identified in infection control audits.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs Davies, Taylor and Golton’s practice (Rotherfield Surgery) on 23 February 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• 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.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• The practice had proactively sought feedback from patients but did not have an active patient participation group.
• A GP from the practice attends local school assemblies to give advice regarding issues such as body image, disabilities and risk taking to children of various age groups including those of Junior school and senior school ages .
• There were gaps identified in the staff training records.
• There were areas of infection control that had not been addressed such as not having elbow taps in their treatment rooms.
• Certain areas of building management had not been checked at the appropriate intervals and the provider had not always acted on safety recommendations made as a result of reviews or audits.
• The practice did not have evidence that the gas heating and hot water boiler was safe to use.
• Not all staff had received a recent appraisal.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• To ensure staff appraisals are undertaken for all staff on an annual basis.

• To ensure that appropriate training for staff is completed and monitored to ensure that time frames for re-training are met. This includes training in respect of fire safety, infection control, safeguarding (adults and children) and information governance.
• To ensure that all safety assessments are undertaken and reviewed as required.
• To ensure the provider takes action to address issues identified in the infection control audit.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• To actively identify patients that have caring responsibilities within the patient list.
• Review the complaints process to ensure patients are given the information on how they can escalate the complaint if they remain dissatisfied.
• To continue in their attempts to establish a Patient Participation Group (PPG).

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice