Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Krishnakant Buch (also known as Lower Broughton Medical Practice/1) on 30 September 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.
• 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and 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 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 one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had been subject to a severe flooding which resulted in the complete loss of the computer systems and also the power to the building. The practice effectively managed the situation and remained committed in order to resume to a full service as quickly as possible and to minimise the impact to patients.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Consider the need for a formalised system to record at risk and vulnerable patients.
• Consider having a set agenda for practice meetings and include non clinical staff in team meetings.
• Monitor QOF performance to ensure improvements continue to be made.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We found the practice based within an old building but was well maintained throughout. The practice's reception area was awaiting the start of modernisation work. Dr Buch currently practiced as a single general practitioner (GP) practice but had plans to amalgamate with another GP practice within the health centre in the near future.

The practice had electronic records in place to accurately describe the contact patients had with the service and the actions taken to provide appropriate care and treatment.

We found staff had access to contact details for both child protection and adult safeguarding teams. They were able to describe the appropriate actions they had taken with recent safeguarding concerns.

The practice had a range of policies and procedures in place for staff to access, which supported the safe running of the service. The practice manager described the regular audits/reports which the practice completed following any significant event.

The practice leaflet and website provided patents with information about how to raise a concern. Patients we spoke with told us they would raise any concerns with the clinical or reception staff.

Patients told us; "Its great here they really care about you and will fit you in to see the Dr if it possible. I never wait more than 24 hours for an appointment". "I left but have come back to Dr Buch, the service if far superior to the service some of my friends receive from their practices"