Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Cross Hills Group Practice on 11 November 2015. The practice was rated as requires improvement for safe and well-led. The overall rating was requires improvement. Breaches of legal requirement were found.

Following on from the inspection the practice provided us with an action plan detailing the evidence of the actions they had taken to meet the legal regulations in relation to providing safe and well led services to patients.

We undertook a desk based review on 26 October 2016 and visited the practice on 1 November 2016. This was to review in detail the information the practice had sent to us and to confirm that the practice were now meeting legal requirements.

A full comprehensive report which followed the inspection on 11 November 2015 can be found by the selecting ‘all reports’ link for Cross Hills Group Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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

• Infection Prevention and control risks were minimised

• Correspondence (including test results) was managed promptly and effectively

• All medicines in the practice were safely managed.

• The practice demonstrated that it routinely collected data and responded effectively to patient feedback.

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 Cross Hills Group Practice on 11 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses.
• Data showed patient outcomes were low compared to the national average. For example, influenza vaccination uptake for vulnerable groups were lower than that of other practices nationally and unplanned admissions were higher than national.
• The majority of patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
• Information about services was available. However, there were no information leaflets in normal or large print for patients who may have a visually impairment.
• Urgent appointments were usually available on the day they were requested.
• The practice had a number of policies and procedures to govern activity.

• While the practice had not proactively sought feedback from patients it did have an active patient participation group.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Ensure that arrangements are in place to minimise risks associated with infection prevention and control.
• Ensure that consultant letters are managed promptly and effectively.
• Ensure the safe management of all medicines in the practice including those held in doctors bags.
• Proactively seek patient feedback about the practice services and care.

In addition the provider should:

• Improve the patient experience of accessing the practice by telephone and the appointment system.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We spoke with the operations manager, the business manager, one doctor, other staff members and patients who were waiting to see the doctor, nurse practitioner and other team members on the day of our inspection.

Patients told us they were treated with respect, one person said “I don’t mind seeing any of the doctors. They all treat you with respect and are very friendly.” They said their views about their care and treatment were listened to and it met their needs. Some of the patients we spoke with told us they did have to wait for appointments with a preferred GP.

Patients said they felt at ease with all of the GPs and they would see any in an emergency. We found that patients were protected from the risk of abuse.

We saw that there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. All areas of the practice were clean, bright and welcoming.

Staff we spoke with told us that they were supported by the doctors and other team members and they were positively encouraged to complete further training.

Patients told us they had not had any need to complain; but if necessary they would speak either to the doctor or the practice manager.