Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Chadsfield Medical Practice on 24 August 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. The strategy to deliver this vision had been produced with staff and stakeholders and was regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment. The practice had a strong commitment to supporting staff training and development.

• Personalised patient centre care reflecting the different needs of patient population groups was evident in all aspects of the practice’s work. The high level of compassion and respect provided was highlighted in the national GP patient survey, comment cards, and from patients and external professionals we spoke with as part of the inspection.

• The practice worked closely with other organisations and with the local community in planning how services were provided to ensure they met people’s needs.

• Effective care planning and a responsive approach to the different needs of its patient population groups had reduced the need for unnecessary hospital admissions.

• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The practice actively reviewed complaints and how they are managed and responded to, and made improvements as a result.

We saw some areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice had a Carer’s Champion who was a point of initial contact and support for carers. This was supplemented by a comprehensive carers pack and a monthly Carer’s Clinic provided at the practice by a local charity Signpost for Carers. The clinic appointments were fully booked every month and feedback from patients was that the service they received was excellent.

• The practice had reviewed the needs of it patients with a learning disability, autism or mental health issue and created a calm quiet waiting area away from the hustle and bustle of the main waiting areas. The waiting area was decorated in autism friendly colours and a small radio was available for patients to self-select music if required.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We reviewed the information available to us about Chadsfield Medical Practice on 30 May 2019. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.