Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Iain Glencross on 7 July 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 been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patient satisfaction at the practice was high. For example, 95% of patients said they found it easy to get through to the surgery by telephone.
• The practice did not offer extended opening hours. However, 99% of patients said that they were able to access a GP the last time they had tried.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was good continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day. Patient satisfaction scores were consistently high: between January and September 2015, 96% of patients described their experience at the surgery as good or very good.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The practice had an active patient participation group called the Patient Viewpoint Group (PVG). Following feedback from the PVG changes were made as to how the practice was run. For example, additional nursing appointments were offered in the afternoon and provision was made for patients to book phlebotomy appointments on line.
• 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.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. The practice was liaising with Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and had submitted plans to move to a modern building to improve access for patients and to enable them to offer additional services.
• The practice was part of the Prime Health Huddersfield Federation and staff at the surgery were active within the CCG.
• The practice was proactive in the management of mental health issues including dementia and staff had completed Dementia Friends training and Dignity in Care training to support patient needs. The practice had undertaken training to become a safe haven for vulnerable people.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by the lead GP and the practice manager. 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 areas of outstanding practice:

The practice had bespoke computer mouse mats for all staff which included contact numbers for safeguarding queries, other relevant telephone numbers and information about which codes to use to identify carers.

Young people were contacted on their fifteenth birthday and offered the opportunity to update practice records with their own mobile number and take more control over their personal health. The practice had been recognised for offering a high standard of health services and materials aimed at young people.

For patients with a learning disability or for those patients who did not use English as their first language there was easy to read information available and a picture board to assist people in explaining what they needed and who they wanted to see. The practice had shared this communication board with the local pharmacy.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice