Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the Hicks Group Practice at Charles Hicks Medical Centre and its branch, Roman Gate Surgery, on 17 May 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.
- 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.
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
- Ensure that all staff receive up to date infection prevention and control training.
- Ensure that patients with a learning difficulty, those experiencing poor mental health and those with dementia receive timely annual reviews.
- Ensure that reasons for extremes in vaccine fridge temperature records are noted in a log book.
- Ensure that fire drills are undertaken.
- Continue to roll out plans to improve continuity of care for patients.
We saw one area of outstanding practice:
- The GPs undertook daily referral audits on the practice’s referrals of patients to other services from the previous day. This process ensured referrals were undertaken properly and the correct processes were followed. Patients we spoke with confirmed that they received timely and adequate referrals.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice