Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Langdon Hills Medical Centre on 26 January 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Patients were protected from abuse and avoidable harm as staff were confident to report serious incidents, whistle blow or challenge if they suspected poor practice.

• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. Information about safety was monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed. Learning from incidents was cascaded to staff.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. There were timely multi-disciplinary team discussions to ensure patients’ care and treatment was coordinated and the expected outcomes were achieved.
• Langdon Hills Medical Centre is a teaching practice and clinical staff and doctors were supported to participate in training and development which would enable them to deliver good effective quality care.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion and dignity 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 premises were purpose built and maintained to an acceptable standard throughout the clinical areas. Access for disabled people was in place including parking for the disabled and washroom facilities.
• 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.
• There was a clear leadership structure. Staff were appropriately qualified and competent to carry out their roles safely and effectively in line with best practice. Staff received satisfactory supervision and appraisal and were supported to undertake their continual professional development.
• Staff were involved in the vision of the practice and an effective communications structure was in place to keep them informed about issues.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The provider should develop systems to manage the safe storage and security of prescription pads in the clinical areas to ensure safe prescription practices at all times.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice