Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Dr Starling and Partners, also known as Meridian Surgery, on 19 February 2015. We visited the practice location at Anchor Healthcare Centre, Meridian Way, Peacehaven, East Sussex, BN10 8NF.
Overall the practice is rated as good. Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing well-led, effective, caring and responsive services. It required improvement for providing safe services. It was good for providing services for older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).
The inspection team spoke with staff and patients and reviewed policies and procedures. The practice understood the needs of the local population and engaged effectively with other services. The practice was committed to providing high quality patient care and patients told us they felt the practice was caring and responsive to their needs.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
- Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned. However, staff had not received training in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults.
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in care and decisions about their treatment.
- The practice engaged effectively with other services to ensure continuity of care for patients.
- The practice understood the needs of the local population and planned services to meet those needs.
There were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
Importantly, the provider must:
- Ensure that all staff are trained in safeguarding of vulnerable adults.
- Ensure staff have appropriate policies, procedures and guidance to carry out their role in relation to safeguarding vulnerable adults.
- Ensure criminal records checks are undertaken via the Disclosure and Barring Service for staff trained to provide chaperone services or that risk assessment is undertaken to establish the reason why those staff should not be subject to a criminal records check.
In addition the provider should:
- Include advocacy and ombudsman details in information given to patients about how to make a complaint.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice