Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Mary Renton known locally as Islington House Medical Centre on 10 December 2015. 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 worked closely with other organisations and with the local community in planning how services were provided to ensure that they meet peoples’ needs.

• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group.
• The practice did not have the required information available to demonstrate the premises and all equipment was fit for purpose. Equipment for use in a medical emergency was not available.
• The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. The strategy to deliver this vision had been produced with stakeholders and was regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.

There were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements. The provider should:

• Undertake a risk assessment for the need to have oxygen and a defibrillator for use in an emergency. To refer to current external guidance and national standards, that encourage practices to have defibrillators and oxygen equipment available for emergency use.

• Establish a system for identifying, assessing and managing risks associated with the building. Information to show the management of electrical, heating, safety and building facilities should be available to ensure the practice complies with statutory requirement to minimise risk. The practice should develop a planned and preventative maintenance programme for the building and this should include the improvements required to the floor of the practice treatment room.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice