Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Tiley and Partners on 22 January 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.
• 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• 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 the 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 an area of outstanding practice:

• GPs performed paediatric venesection (taking of blood samples) for some children to try to reduce the need to attend the local paediatric ward.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Consider a process to follow up patients that are overdue medication reviews to ensure effective management of repeat prescribing.

• Review the non-audible fire alarm system in place.

• Consider an active carers’ register.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice