Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr C T Heatley and Partners (known as Birley Health Centre) on 16 February 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.
• Most risks to patients were assessed and well managed . However, the practice had not completed a risk assessment for legionella (Legionella is a term for a particular bacterium which can contaminate water systems in buildings).

• 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 told us 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.
• Patients said they were able to make a same day appointment to see a GP or nurse practitioner if their problem was urgent.
• 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 registered provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice provided a door to door bus service in joint conjunction with the local authority two days a week for patients who were too frail, elderly or unable to access the practice independently as there was no public bus service in the area.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Maintain a complete record of the immunity status of all clinical staff.

• The practice should complete the monitoring and recording cycle documenting the movement of blank prescriptions within the practice.

• Complete a risk assessment for legionella.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We reviewed the information available to us about Dr C T Heatley and Partners on 24 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.