Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Churchill Clinic on 9 December 2014. During the inspection we gathered information from a variety of sources. For example, we spoke with patients, members of the patient participation group (PPG), interviewed staff of all levels and checked that the right systems and processes were in place.
Overall the practice is rated as good. This is because we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It was also good for providing services for all patient population groups.
Our key findings were as follows:
- Patients’ said they felt safely cared for and had no concerns about their care or treatment.
- Staff were helpful, caring and considerate to patients’ needs.
- Patients felt listened to and their opinions about care and treatment were acted upon.
- The environment was safe and always cleaned to a high standard.
- Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.
- The practice used innovative and proactive methods to improve patient outcomes, working with other local providers to share best practice. For example, the findings of an audit of patients with mental health illness and their access to community mental health services showed that patients were receiving a poor service. The lead GP met with the mental health community service provider and care plans for these patients were developed and access to community support for these patients has improved.
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Information was provided to help patients understand the care available to them.
- 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 (PPG).
- The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
- The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. A business plan was in place, was monitored and regularly reviewed and discussed with all staff.
However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
Importantly the provider should:
- Review the privacy offered by consultation rooms to further patients confidentiality.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice