Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Abbey Field Medical Centre on Wednesday 17 June 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, well-led, effective, caring and responsive services. It was also good for providing services for older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people living in vulnerable circumstances, and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).
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. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
- Risks to patients were assessed and well managed especially in relation to staff welfare.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
- 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 reported to us confusion and difficulty making an appointment with a GP. The practice had trialled a number of appointment systems in an attempt to increase the accessibility of the service. They had decided on an appointment system and were working with the Patient Action Group to increase awareness with patients of the new system and the reasons for the changes.
- The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
- There was a clear leadership structure and staff had confidence in the practice management team and felt supported and encouraged by them. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it listened to and acted on.
However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
Importantly the provider should;
- The practice should adhere to their complaints policy and advise patients of appeals process and the details of the Health Service Ombudsman and advocacy services.
- Ensure that staff receive appropriate training in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, fire safety and infection prevention control.
- Ensure the practice maintains meeting records of clinical performance discussions
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice