Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Community Health Centre on 07 June 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There was an effective system in place to report and record significant events. They were investigated, discussed at staff meetings and lessons were shared to improve safety in the practice.

• The practice followed clear and comprehensive infection prevention and control procedures. Areas of good practice were shared with other practices in the area.

• Staff assessed needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.

• Clinical audits were completed to review the quality of the service and make improvements.

• Personal development was encouraged for all staff members.

• Patients were supported to live healthier lives and information was provided to ensure they could self-manage their medical conditions safely.

• Patient feedback said staff were polite and respectful. Patients said staff were co-operative and all care and treatment was fully explained.

• Information for patients about the services available was easy to understand and available in the most commonly used languages.

• The practice worked with local community groups to meet the needs of the local population. For example, the Muslim Burial Council of Leicestershire.

• The practice had a clear vision to deliver a comprehensive health care service, empowering patients to manage their own health and using a range of health promotion.

• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour. The partners encouraged a culture of openness and honesty.

• The patient participation group was active and involved in the development of patient education material, including what services were available at the practice and how to use them.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The patient participation group worked with the practice to develop patient education material. This included producing a mock video of patients telephoning for an appointment with a specific GP and the practice explaining the services provided to alleviate demand pressures on GPs; a video of a mock consultation and the information to be provided at an appointment and a video explaining how to label specimen bottles. The videos had been displayed in waiting areas and the practice had seen an improvement in patient awareness.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice