Archived: Musgrove Park Medical Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Musgrove Park Medical Practice on 23 November 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. However, reviews and investigations were not always thorough enough.
• Risks to patients were not always assessed and well managed.

• Data showed patient outcomes were low compared to the national average. Although some audits had been carried out, the practice was unable to demonstrate that audits were used to support quality improvement activity.

• The majority of patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect.

• 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.

• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. However, the practice was unable to demonstrate that improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns or that lessons were learnt and shared to prevent instances of a similar nature occurring again.
• Patients said they did not find it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was no continuity of care, but urgent appointments were available the same day.
• The practice 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.
• Governance arrangements were not always effectively implemented.The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are

• Ensure that significant events and complaints are investigated thoroughly and that lessons learned are disseminated to all relevant practice staff.

• Revise risk management to ensure that all risks to patients, staff and visitors are assessed and effectively managed in a timely manner.
• Ensure that the quality of services provided are assessed, monitored and improved where required.
• Ensure clinical audit cycles are carried out to drive improvements to patient outcomes.
• Revise governance arrangements to ensure that systems and processes to govern activity are effectively managed and implemented.

In addition the provider should:

• Continue to act upon patient feedback with regard to access to services.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice