Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Falcon Road Medical Centre on 28 July 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 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
- Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and 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.
We saw one area of outstanding practice:
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We found that the practice vision and values were embedded in the organisations culture and prioritised good quality patient care. The practice had a mission statement with a clear vision and set of values for the practice. This had been developed with all staff, who had shown their support and commitment to the values by signing a copy on display in the staff break area. The mission statement and vision and values were also clearly displayed on the practice website, in the reception area, and throughout the practice including on documents, information leaflets and posters produced by the practice.
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
- Review how patients with caring responsibilities are identified and recorded on the clinical system to ensure information, advice and support is made available to them.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice