Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bousefield Surgery on 19 July 2017. 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.
• The practice had systems to minimise risks to patient safety.
• 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.
• Patients said they were treated with care, compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their 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. This included informal complaints made to the practice.
• Patients we spoke with 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.
• 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.

• Staff worked well together as a team, there were new members who had been recently recruited, knew their patients well and all felt supported to carry out their roles.

• The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

However, there were areas where the provider needed to make improvements.

• An action plan should be developed for the National GP Patient Survey identifying the actions needed to improve the results.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice