Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This is a focused inspection of Dr Afzal Hussain for one area within the key question safe. We found the practice to be good in providing safe services. Overall, the practice is rated as good.

The practice had been previously been inspected on 27 May 2015. The inspection was a comprehensive inspection under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. At that inspection, the practice was rated good overall. However, within the key question safe, one area was identified as requiring improvement, as the practice was not meeting the legislation at that time; Regulation 12 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment, ensuring the proper and safe management of medicines

Following that inspection the practice was rated as good with the following domain ratings:

Safe – Requires improvement

Effective – Good

Caring – Good

Responsive – Good

Well led – Good.

The practice provided us with an action plan detailing how they were going to make the required improvements. The inspection on 29 November 2016 was to confirm the required actions had been completed. Following this re-inspection, our key findings in the safe domain we inspected were as follows:

• Checks were kept of the fridge temperature.
• Medicine expiry dates were monitored.
• The practice nurse now had more time to carry out administrative tasks and checks on medicines held at the practice.
• Arrangements had been made for the fridge’s electrical wiring to be tested.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of Dr Afzal Hussain practice on the 27 May 2015. Overall, the practice was rated as Good. Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well led services. It required improvement for providing a safe service for the population groups we assessed.

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

• There were systems in place to address safety risks including analysing significant events and carrying out clinical audits. Staff were trained on how to ensure patients were safeguarded from the risk of harm. The premises were clean and tidy. Improvements need to be made to the way medicines are managed. Staff recruitment procedures ensure suitable staff are employed. Meetings are not regularly held for the purpose of sharing information.
• Patients’ care needs are assessed and services reflect the needs of the patients it serves. Staff are provided with training to support them in their role. .
• Patients were positive about the care they receive from the practice. They commented that they are treated with respect and dignity and that staff are friendly, caring and kind.
• The practice has access to online and telephone translation services to support patients whose first language was not English. The GP also spoke several languages. The practice was accessible to patients with mobility problems.
• Most patients indicated they could book an appointment when needed.
• The practice has a system in place for handling complaints and concerns.
• Governance systems are in place to monitor the safety and the quality of the service. The practice has identified the importance of having an open culture and staff are encouraged to report and share information in order to improve the services.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly, the provider must:

• Ensure medicines are managed safely

In addition the provider should:

• Ensure team meetings take place with a record kept of any discussions.
• Ensure staff who act as a chaperone are trained in this area and that the policy reflects the practices carried out.
• Ensure further in house infection control audits are completed.
• Ensure staff daily working practices allow time for the monitoring of medicines and administrative tasks
• Ensure patients know how to make a complaint about the service.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We reviewed the information available to us about Dr Afzal Hussain on 15 May 2019. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.