Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Zulfikar Moghul (Grove Surgery) on 5 January 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Some patients said they did not find it easy to make an appointment with a named GP, but urgent appointments were available the same day. The practice was working to improve access.
• The practice had identified less than one percent of its patients as carers.
• Results of the national GP patient survey showed that the practice was performing below local and national averages in a number of areas. The practice was aware of this, and had taken action to improve patient satisfaction.
• Performance for child immunisations was below national averages.
• 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.
• 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review results from the national GP patient survey and continue to work to improve patient satisfaction, including in relation to phone access and waiting time to be seen after arrival for an appointment.

• Review how carers are identified and recorded on the patient record system to ensure information, advice and support is made available to all.

• Consider how to improve its child immunisation programme for the benefit of that patient group.

• Continue to monitor and ensure all medical alerts are brought to the attention of all relevant staff.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice