Dr S Schulz & Partners Also known as St Richard's Road Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

In April 2016 a comprehensive inspection of Dr S J T Williams & Partners was conducted. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing effective services and good for providing safe, caring, responsive and well led services. Overall the practice was rated as good. During that inspection we found that the practice was not compliant with providing mandatory training.

Following the inspection we asked the practice to provide an action plan detailing how they would improve on the area of concern. Subsequently, the practice provided evidence to show compliance with regulations.

We carried out a desk based inspection of Dr S J T Williams & Partners on 6 September 2016 to check that the practice had followed their plan and to confirm that they met the legal requirements.

We found the practice had made a significant improvement since our last inspection on 28 April 2016. Following the desk based review on 6 September we rated the practice as good for providing effective services. The overall rating for the practice remains good. For this reason we have only re-rated the location for the key question of effective. This report should be read in conjunction with the full inspection report of 28 April 2016. A copy of the last inspection report can be found on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr S J T Williams & Partners on 28 April 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 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they did not always find it easy to make an appointment with a named GP for routine care.
• Urgent appointments were available on the same day, but not always with the GP of choice.
• There were disabled facilities, a hearing loop for patients with a hearing impairment and braille signs for visually impaired patients.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• The practice collaborated with three local GP practices (The Deal Collaboration) and used their over 75’s funds to provide a paramedic practitioner to visit patients at home that were unable to attend the practice.
• The practice was a training practice for FY2 doctors (junior doctors).
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The practice communicated with patients and staff in multiple ways including regular newsletters for both groups.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Ensure that all staff are up to date with mandatory training courses.

The areas where the provider should make improvements

• Review how internal and external meetings are minuted to ensure findings are recorded and shared appropriately.

• Continue to identify patients who are also carers and build on the current carers register to help ensure that all patients on the practice list who are carers are offered relevant support if required.

• Review confidentiality in the waiting room.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice