Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Abbots Bromley Surgery on 14 July 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring and responsive services and requires improvement for well led services. It was good overall for providing services for the following population groups; 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).
Our key findings were as follows:
- The practice had not reviewed all past significant events to identify any themes or trends of each event and to show that any action taken had been appropriate and had prevented reoccurrence.
- Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded and addressed.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
- 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 liked the open access system which enabled them to have a consultation with a named GP or practice nurse and that there was continuity of care.
- The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
- The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
- The practice had limited formal governance arrangements. For example, there was no governance or management oversight in place to ensure all staff received regular fire awareness training or written evidence seen of fire drills to ensure staff acted in accordance with fire regulations.
There were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
Importantly the provider must:
- Ensure effective formal governance systems and arrangements are in place for monitoring, updating and managing: staff training, recruitment, policies and procedures and health and safety.
- Ensure checks are made on the current training status of all staff.
- Have governance arrangements in place to ensure all staff receive regular fire awareness training and regular fire drills take place so that staff act in accordance with fire regulations.
Importantly the provider should:
- Continue to review recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff who are involved in the direct care of patients including chaperone duties are risk assessed to determine if a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required.
- Ensure a copy of the latest infection control audit with any action points shared and made accessible to staff.
- Ensure all staff have an awareness of the Mental Capacity Act.
- Ensure all staff are aware of the practice policies and procedures which include whistleblowing and safeguarding.
- Consider introducing regular formal practice meetings.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice