Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Newthorpe Medical Practice on 16 January 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing an effective, caring, responsive and well led service. It was also good for providing services for older people, people with long term conditions, families, children and young people, the working age population and those recently retired, people in vulnerable circumstances and people experiencing poor mental health. It required improvement for providing safe services.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- Most risks to patients were assessed and well-managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks.
- Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. However, systems for recording, monitoring and addressing information about safety needed strengthening.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
- We saw evidence that audits were driving improvement in performance to improve patient outcomes.
- Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
- Most patients told us they generally found it easy to make an appointment with a GP or nurse and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
- Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
- There was a clear leadership structure and most staff felt supported by management.
- Arrangements were in place to review the training needs and professional development for staff to ensure it was appropriate to their roles.
The areas where the provider must make improvements are:
- Ensure recruitment arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff to ensure they are suitable to work with patients.
In addition the provider should:
- Ensure that care plans are personalised to patient’s needs; and processes for recording mental capacity assessments are strengthened.
- Ensure all staff have access to appropriate policies, procedures and guidance to help them carry out their role including whistleblowing.
- Ensure safety and governance issues discussed at meetings are clearly documented to reflect required actions have been completed and reviewed.
- Ensure appropriate records are maintained so that the practice can be assured that training relevant to all staff has been completed.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice