Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr A Chafer and Partners on 19 October 2016. 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.
• The patients we spoke with or who left comments for us were positive about the standard of care they received and about staff behaviours. They said staff were professional, helpful, attentive and thorough. They told us that their privacy and dignity was respected 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Some patients said it could be difficult to book appointments in advance. However, they were positive about access to same day and urgent appointments at the practice.
• 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 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Ensure that all staff are aware of who the safeguarding and infection control leads are.
• Ensure that all actions taken in relation to the monitoring and review of patients prescribed Warfarin are recorded on the practice’s own patient record system.
• Take steps to ensure that hot water temperatures at the practice are kept within the required levels.
• Ensure that all staff employed are supported by receiving appropriate supervision and appraisal.

• Ensure that the practice’s documented policy on patient consent refers to the process involved in obtaining consent from both children and adults.

• Ensure that eligible patients aged 40 to 74 years are invited to receive a NHS health check.
• Continue to identify and support carers in its patient population.
• Continue to take steps to ensure that in future National GP Patient Surveys the practice’s areas of below local and national average performance are monitored and improved, including access to appointments.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice