Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Vasanth and Partners on March 24 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were identified and acted on.
• The practice used innovative and proactive methods to improve patient outcomes, working with other local providers to share best practice. For example, the practice engaged with Wigan Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) peer review process to develop their safeguarding toolkit and improve treatment pathways for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Feedback from patients about their care was consistently positive. Patients we spoke with were passionate about the level of care provided.
• The practice worked closely with other organisations and with the local community in planning how services were provided to ensure that they meet patients’ needs.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• The practice actively reviewed complaints and how they are managed and responded to, and made improvements as a result.
• The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as priority. The strategy to deliver this vision had been produced with stakeholders and was regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.
• The practice had a clear clinical governance and leadership structure.
• There was a continual and proactive focus on staff professional development.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

During this inspection we visited Bag Lane Surgery within the Atherton Health Centre. We spoke with a GP / registered manager, practice manager, practice nurse, reception staff and a sample of patients on the day of our visit.

Patients spoken with were positive about the practice and commented that they were happy with the care they received. Comments received from patients included: “Brilliantly run. There is little to improve”; “Dr Vasanth is the true meaning of a family doctor”; “I have no complaints and have nothing but praise for them”; “Referrals are quick to the hospital”; “Most of the time the doctors keep to appointment time”; “I received good midwifery support from the practice”; Last week I was really poorly so I rang the GP and got an appointment within half an hour”; “I’ve been referred to secondary care services and the process was quick and efficient” and “I wouldn’t leave here. It’s an excellent service from nice people.”

The practice provided patients' with a range of health care information leaflets and information on the practice and the complaints procedure was on display in the waiting room.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Vasanth and Partners on 22 January 2019 as part of our inspection programme. The practice was previously inspected on 24 March 2016 and was rated good overall.

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found when we inspected
• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
• information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice