We were able to speak with five people who used the service (patients) who were in the waiting room when we visited. The main surgery waiting room was set up in such a way to give a patient as much confidentiality as possible when talking to staff at reception.

All of the patients we spoke with confirmed that they happy with the service they received from the GP and clinical staff. Patients told us, “The staff are very considerate and I am very happy with the practice.” “They always discuss everything with me.” “There are now so many doctors, it’s not personal anymore and the doctor doesn’t know me anymore.” We were also told, “I always get an appointment when I need one but they are very slow in answering the phone.” “It is difficult to get an appointment with my own GP when I want one. Staff can take ages to answer the phone.” And “If I want an appointment with a designated GP I usually have to wait about a week for an appointment which is usually no problem.” Another patient thought the practice operated an, “Odd appointment system. If you can’t get an appointment in advance you have to ring early on the day.” The practice offered extended opening time and was open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 6pm on a Friday.

The Eden Medical Group surgery was situated in a purpose built building all on ground floor level which was suitable for the service it provided. This ensured that the premises were designed and operated in a way to meet patients, and their treatment, needs being met. Staff were appropriately recruited. We saw evidence that regular audits were undertaken within the practice. We found that there were appropriate systems in place to enable the provider to assess and monitor the quality and safety of the service, protect people who used the service and improve outcomes for people.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Eden Medical Group on 24 and 30 November 2015. 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 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.
• The practice had made improvements to make it easier for patients to get through to the practice by phone and make an appointment. Urgent appointments were 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. 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.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had implemented strong arrangements for managing the performance of staff. We saw all staff had a folder which included their core objectives, personal development plan and all the standards associated with their role. This helped to ensure staff were aware of what was expected of them and had ready access to guidance related to the tasks and duties they were responsible for. The approach focused on skills identification to ensure the practice had the right staff in place with the right skills. This helped ensure a sustainable future for the practice.

The areas where the provider should improvement are:

• Assess and review the arrangements in place for the practice to meet the needs of patients with hearing impairment; to ensure they have good access to the practice and its services.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice