Oaklands Surgery - Canvey Island

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Oaklands Surgery 22 April 2016. Overall the practice was rated as good but required improvement for providing safe services.

During our last inspection we required the provider to make the following improvements;

• Ensure there are robust systems in place for the safe storage of vaccines.
• Continue to monitor patient feedback and survey data to ensure that the improvements that have been made are being reviewed and maintained.

A requirement notice was issued and the practice put an action plan in place to address the areas requiring improvement an ensure they were resolved.

On 11 November 2016 we conducted a desk top review and found;

• The practice had spoken with their clinical team and conducted a comprehensive review of their management and storage of medicines. They had revised and replaced temperature recording devices to mitigate the risk of inaccurate fridge temperature readings. Their electronic temperature monitoring equipment was regularly downloaded to confirm adherence to their cold chain storage requirements.
• The practice had listened and responded to the findings of the January 2016 national GP patient survey and their three monthly patient feedback audits. They had recruited additional clinical staff (two nurses and a full time salaried GP). They had improved their responsiveness to patients during peak times with all available staff answering calls. The practice were also actively monitoring patient wait times with their telephone provider. The July 2016 national GP patient survey showed improvements in patient satisfaction levels with the service.

We were satisfied that the practice had made the required improvements.

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 Oaklands Surgery – Canvey Island on 22 April 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. Information was recorded and shared with staff and external stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Risks to patients were usually assessed and well managed although we could not be assured that the system in place for maintaining the cold-chain forthe storage of vaccines was effective.
• 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 in the practice leaflet, in the waiting area and on the practice website and this information was easy to understand.
• The practice had good facilities within a primary care centre and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group. For example changes were made to the telephone system and to the layout of the waiting area.
• We saw evidence that access to appointments was being improved in response to national data, the telephone system had been improved and additional staff had been recruited to increase the availability of both GP and nurse appointments.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by the practice management team and the partner GPs. Staff had key roles within the practice, they were aware of their own roles and responsibilities as well as others.
• The practice had a clear vision and supporting business plans in place to drive improvement over the next five years.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

• Ensure there are robust systems in place for the safe storage of vaccines.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

Continue to monitor patient feedback and survey data to ensure that the improvements that have been made are being reviewed and maintained.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice