Archived: Craven Arms Medical Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Craven Arms Medical Practice on 15 June 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, 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 older people; people with long-term conditions; families, children and young people; working age people; people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Review significant events over time to identify any themes or trends.
• Consider recording information about children with protection plans within the parent /guardian electronic patient record.
• Ensure all staff who act as chaperones have received appropriate training.
• Carry out a risk assessment to ensure the safety of confidential information within the practice.
• Carry out a risk assessment to ensure the safety of medicine storage in the reception area.
• Ensure all necessary pre-employment checks are obtained and appropriate information kept on file.
• Complete the process of obtaining Disclosure and Barring Service checks for clinical staff.
• Complete the process of carrying out risk assessments or Disclosure and Barring service checks on non-clinical staff who act as chaperones.
• Ensure patient confidentiality is maintained at the reception hatch.
• Share the practice’s aims with staff and patients.
• Develop a business plan to support delivery of the practice aims and any future developments.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice