Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Fairbrook Medical Centre on 3 August 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 the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• The patients we spoke with or who left comments for us were positive about the standard of care they received and about staff behaviours. They said staff were polite, caring, supportive and thorough. They told us that their privacy and dignity was respected 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.
• Patients said it could be difficult to get through to the practice by phone and book appointments in advance. However, they were positive about access to same day and urgent appointments at the practice.
• 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 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 improvements are:

• Ensure that all staff employed are supported by completing the essential training relevant to their roles, including infection prevention and control and basic life support training.
• Ensure that a process is in place for the practice wide discussion of and response to Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and patient safety alerts.
• Ensure that medicine fridges are in working order with locking mechanisms in place to ensure safe storage of medicines.
• Take steps to ensure systems are in place so that GPs have sight of the appropriate blood test results and subsequent analysis before the prescribing of certain high risk medicines to patients.
• Ensure the health and safety legislation posters contain up to date contact information.
• Ensure the necessary actions to resolve risks identified by the Legionella risk assessment are completed, including the management of hot water temperatures to ensure they are kept within the required levels.
• Ensure that a documented policy on patient consent is in place.
• Ensure that, where practicable and appropriate, all reasonable adjustments are made for patients with a disability in line with the Equality Act (2010).
• Continue to take steps to ensure improvement to National GP Patient Survey results, including access to routine pre-bookable appointments and access to the practice by telephone. Ensure that the current action plan makes provision for the practice’s response to below CCG and national average satisfaction scores on consultations with GPs and nurses.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice