Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Benhill and Belmont GP Centre on Wednesday, November 09, 2016. 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. The clinical waste bin was not securely stored at the main site.
• 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, with the exception of infection control training for two GPs.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. The practice had developed a patient charter which described what patients could expect from the practice and what patients needed to do to support the practice to enable them to provide the standards of care set out in the charter.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs and the practice was waiting for building permission for a new building.
• 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 and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review storage of patient notes at the branch practice to ensure it is secure.

• Review the storage arrangements for the clinical waste bin at the main site.

• Consider the risks when trialling new staff to ensure patients and their information is safe.

• Ensure staff acting as chaperone have training and are clear about their role and all staff complete infection control training.

• Ensure patients have access to complaint forms.

• Consider informing patients of the availability of translation services.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice