This practice is rated as Good overall. The practice was previously inspected on 29 September 2015 and was rated as Good overall, with Outstanding for Caring.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs DP Diggle and RE Phillips on 12 April 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines, and supported this work with clinical audits and the analysis of outcomes and performance.
• Procedures for handling repeat prescriptions did not give full assurance that authorisation processes and review dates were fully in place.
• Services had been developed by the practice to meet the needs of the local population; this included an extensive diabetes service and the provision of a wound and burns dressing service.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

We saw an area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had developed a range of responsive services and activities for patients with long-term conditions. Services and activities included:

  • The provision of an extensive diabetes service which demonstrated active management and support for patients.
  • The practice worked hard to improve patient awareness of long-term conditions and the need for screening. For example, the practice made extensive use of themed noticeboards which were regularly updated.
  • The practice sought to support long-term condition patients to make lifestyle changes to improve their wellbeing. They delivered weight management advice and loaned dietary books to patients.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review and improve reception staff knowledge with regard to patients attending the practice with possible symptoms of sepsis.
• Review and improve procedures for the review and authorisation of repeat prescriptions.
• Continue to review the implementation of the recently introduced new process for the monitoring of patients prescribed high risk medicines to ensure that it is effective.

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

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs DP Diggle and RE Phillips’ practice on 29 September 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good for providing safe, effective,caring, responsive and well led care for all of the population groups it serves.

Specifically we found the practice to be outstanding for providing caring services for people with long term conditions and people whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and individualised care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate for their roles
• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities in raising concerns and reporting incidents, near misses and identified safeguarding issues. There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported
• Risks to patients were identified, assessed and managed
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat and meet the needs of patients.
• Access to appointments was good and same day appointments were available when needed
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in care and decisions about their treatment plans.
• The practice sought patient views how improvements could be made to the service through the use of patient surveys and friends and family test. Efforts were being made to establish a patient participation group (PPG)

We saw several areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice offered an in-house weight management programme facilitated by a trained member of staff. It could be demonstrated that this had resulted in positive outcomes for patients who had participated in terms of weight loss as well as lifestyle changes.
• The practice made use of e-consultations with secondary care for diabetic patients. The practice provided evidence that this approach had reduced the number of patients who needed to be seen in hospital outpatient clinics.
• The practice had an established system of working with patients with multiple long term conditions where extended (30-40 minute) appointments were offered, any necessary blood tests were arranged in advance of the appointment, and blood test results were posted to the patient ahead of the appointment with an explanation of the significance of the findings.

• The practice staff had been trained as dementia friends and the practice was making practical changes to the layout of the building to accommodate the needs of patients suffering from dementia.
• The practice acted as a “Safer Place” providing signposting and information services for vulnerable people.
• Support was offered for people experiencing emotional difficulties through the use of the “Rightsteps” service which provided individual in-house counselling services as well as themed workshops which ran monthly.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs DP Diggle and RE Phillips’ practice on 29 September 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good for providing safe, effective caring, responsive and well led care for all of the population groups it serves.

Specifically we found the practice to be outstanding for providing caring services for people with long term conditions and people whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and individualised care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate for their roles

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities in raising concerns and reporting incidents, near misses and identified safeguarding issues. There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported

• Risks to patients were identified, assessed and managed

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat and meet the needs of patients.

• Access to appointments was good and same day appointments were available when needed

• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in care and decisions about their treatment plans.

• The practice sought patient views how improvements could be made to the service through the use of patient surveys and friends and family test. Efforts were being made to establish a patient participation group (PPG)

We saw several areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice offered an in-house weight management programme facilitated by a trained member of staff. It could be demonstrated that this had resulted in positive outcomes for patients who had participated in terms of weight loss as well as lifestyle changes.

• The practice made use of e-consultations for diabetic patients to offer advice and guidance for example around correct injection technique. The practice provided evidence that this approach had reduced the number of patients who needed to be seen in hospital clinics.

• The practice had an established system of working with patients with multiple long term conditions where extended (30-40 minute) appointments were offered, any necessary blood tests were arranged in advance of the appointment, and blood test results were posted to the patient ahead of the appointment with an explanation of the significance of the findings.

• The practice staff had been trained as dementia friends and the practice was making practical changes to the layout of the building to accommodate the needs of patients suffering from dementia.

• The practice acted as a “Safer Place” providing signposting and information services for vulnerable people.

• Support was offered for people experiencing emotional difficulties through the use of the “Rightsteps” service which provided individual in-house counselling services as well as themed workshops which ran monthly.

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Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice