Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Abington Medical Centre on 2 June 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all of 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 including lessons learned.

• Safe arrangements were in place for staff recruitment that protected patients from risks of harm. The numbers of staff were regularly reviewed to enable them to meet patients’ needs.

• There were on-going arrangements were in place to protect patients and others from unnecessary infections.

• 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 had been encouraged and planned.

• Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their treatment.

• Senior staff had responded to the latest results of the National Patient Survey regarding access for appointments. A system was introduced in April 2016.All patients who requested same day appointments were triaged to ensure they received appropriate and timely care.

• Information about how to make a complaint was readily available and easy to understand. Complaints received were dealt with appropriately.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to assess and treat patients.

• There was a clear leadership structure and staff told us they felt well supported by senior staff. Management sought feedback from patients which it acted on.

• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

However, there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

In addition the provider should:

• Increase the number of clinical audits that are repeated to demonstrate on-going clinical systems improvement for patient care.

• Continue to monitor implementation of the new same day appointment system for improvement in future patient survey results.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice