Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at De Parys Medical Centre on 27 October 2015. 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• 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.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• 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.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We saw two areas of outstanding practice:

• The patient participation group worked with the practice to provide a befriending service. The CCG had delivered training to the practice participation group (PPG) members involved and they had all received checks through the Disclosure and Barring service (DBS). They visited patients identified by the practice who may need additional support, for example, if housebound or recently bereaved. They also visited patients in hospital if they had no one else to visit. At the time of the inspection there were 12 members befriending 16 patients. We saw from the PPG meeting minutes that the befriending service was a standing item on the agenda for discussion. Any concerns raised by befrienders were discussed as well as identifying any patients that may find the service a benefit.
• There was a free and confidential sexual health service run from the practice that was open to both registered and non-registered patients of any age, including young people under 18. They used a C-card system that enabled patients to hand in a card at reception which allowed them to discreetly request free condoms.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice