Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced focussed follow up inspection on 24 October 2016 to follow up on concerns we found at Dr Ward, Pearce and Partners on 30 November 2015. This inspection was to ensure that improvement had been made following our inspection in November 2015 when breaches of regulations had been identified. The inspection in November 2015 found breaches of regulation and rated the practice as good overall but requires improvement in safe services.

At the inspection on 24 October 2016 we found that overall the practice had implemented changes and that the service was meeting the requirements of the regulations. The ratings for the practice have been updated to reflect our findings following the improvements made since our last inspection in November 2015. The practice is now rated as good for safe services.

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

• The practice had reviewed protocols and processes involving cold chain recording and reporting and maintain an audit trail of prescription stationery.

• The practice had undertaken a CoSHH assessment and risk assessment in respect of liquid nitrogen.

• The practice had reviewed its complaints systems to provide a complete audit trail of outcomes.

• Reviewed it systems to make sure staff were aware of training expiry dates and ensured the training the practice considered to be mandatory was completed as needed.

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 Ward Pearce and Partner on 30 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There was an open culture in respect of learning from incidents and a commitment to preventing similar events occurring in future.
• Some risks were managed well but systems needed strengthening in some areas such as ensuring the cold chain protocol was understood and followed, recording the numbers of prescription stationery and risk assessing liquid nitrogen.
• Staff showed a commitment to using NICE guidelines and to improving outcomes for patients. Where they identified issues there were plans in place to address these.
• Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment and this was supported by the national patient survey data which rated the practice above others in the CCG in a number of areas.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand but outcomes were not clearly recorded to provide a clear oversight of trends..
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day. Patient survey data showed the practice performed well in respect of patients being able to access appointments when needed.
• 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 but some felt communication could be clearer and more frequent.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• One member of staff ran a weight management classes for local patients. Giving up their own time, they tailored weekly classes to match the students’ needs and provided the training program over twelve weeks. This would be attended by between two and 20 patients each week. Patient feedback indicated they valued this support, even if their weight loss was not substantial and they found the education around healthy eating to be valuable.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review protocols and processes involving cold chain recording and reporting and maintain an audit trail of prescription stationery
• Undertake a CoSHH assessment and risk assessment in respect of liquid nitrogen.
• Review complaints systems to provide a complete audit trail of outcomes.
• Review systems to make sure staff are aware of training expiry dates and ensure training the practice considers to be mandatory is completed as needed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice