We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Albert Road & Britannia Village Surgery on 3 May 2017. The overall rating for the practice was good. However, the rating for the practice providing caring services was requires improvement and we found five areas where the provider should improve. The full comprehensive report on the 3 May 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Albert Road & Britannia Village Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 26 June 2018 to assess whether the provider was meeting legal requirements and areas it should improve that we identified in our previous inspection on 3 May 2017. This report covers our findings in relation to improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Actions identified during risk assessments such as fire safety were remedied in a timely manner to mitigate the risk of harm to patients and staff.
• Locum GPs were trained to child protection level three as per statutory guidance.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Rates for childhood immunisations uptake and dementia reporting had improved.
• There was an effective process for managing cervical screening.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Albert Road and Britannia Village Surgery. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.

• There were procedures for assessing, monitoring and managing risks to patient and staff safety, however we found actions identified during fire risk assessments had not been completed in a timely manner. Following the inspection we received evidence that all the identified actions had been remedied.

• Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Data from the national GP patient survey showed patients rated the practice below national average for several aspects of care. For example, 65% of patients said the last GP they spoke to was good at treating them with care and concern compared to the CCG average of 77% and national average of 85%.
• The practice had good facilities and 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, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Continue to ensure that actions identified during risk assessments such as fire safety are remedied in a timely manner to mitigate the risk of harm to patients and staff.

• Ensure the locum GP is trained to child protection level three as per statutory guidance.

• Review low GP patient survey results in relation to patient satisfaction.

• Improve uptake rates for childhood immunisations so they are comparable to CCG and national averages.

• Take steps to address the practice’s low dementia reporting.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice