Archived: Dr Joseph L Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Joseph L Practice on 20 September 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding safety, and reporting and recording of significant events. There were policies and procedures in place to support this.
• The practice assessed most risks to patients and staff. There were systems in place to manage most of these risks. Improvements needed to be made the monitoring of the issue of prescription printer paper and patient group directives needed to be kept onsite (Patient Group Directives or PGDs are a direction to a nurse to administer prescription only medicines such as the flu vaccine).
• The practice responded appropriately to patient and medicine safety alerts when they received them however they were not necessarily getting the latest alerts.
• Although electric sockets had been inspected regularly, there was no system for checking small electrical appliances. However this was rectified a few days after our inspection and evidence provided of this. An ongoing contract for this testing was put in place.
• Staff received appropriate training to provide them with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to fulfil their role. They had access to further role specific training if appropriate.
• There were some areas where infection control and prevention could be improved. For example, the infection control audit had not been dated and had no action plan attached.
• The practice used national available guidelines to ensure best patient care, however the systems for ensuring they had access to the most current guidance could be improved.
• Patients we spoke with and responses on our comments cards told us that the majority of patients were satisfied with the service received by the practice.
• Information about how to complain was available for patients. Complaints investigations and documentation showed that these were investigated fully.
• Patients told us that they had easy access to appointments. Patients said if all appointments for that day were booked and a cancellation came up then they would be slotted in from those who had been unable to obtain a same day appointment.
• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from the patient participation forum.
• The practice facilities met the needs of its patient population.
• There was a clear management structure and staff told us they felt supported and able to make suggestions to improve the quality of service provision.
• The previous practice manager had been responsible for the maintenance of the practice website but the practice had not been able to access it since they left, therefore information was incorrect.
• The culture of the practice was open and honest, and the practice complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Introduce a system to monitor the use of prescription stationery.
• Patient Group Directives (PGDs) should be available on the premises.
• Infection control audits should be clearly dated and that the action plan needs to be kept with the audit and updated to reflect action taken, if any required.
• Improve the identification of carers.
• Review the care and treatment provided for patients with long term conditions and improve the performance for patients in this group.
• Respond to patient feedback from the National GP Survey in relation to the satisfaction rates about clinical staff at the practice.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice