Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr SP Hughes and Partners on 17 May 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.
• Practice staff had developed good working relationships with community teams to ensure continuity of care.
• The practice monitored performance using the information collected for the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and performance against national screening programmes to monitor outcomes for patients. (QOF is a system intended to improve the quality of general practice and reward good practice). We saw evidence of progress in performance as a result of regular monitoring and improvement work.
• 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 were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• 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
• Partners were visible and supported all areas of the practice.
• The practice had an effective in-house training programme and encouraged staff development.
• The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The practice worked closely with the patient participation group.
• The practice had been awarded the Practice Team of the Year Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire for 2016.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice