Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Farfield Group Practice on 18 October 2016. 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.

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

• The ethos and culture of the practice was to provide good quality service and care to patients.

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

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat and meet the needs of patients. Information regarding the services provided by the practice and how to make a complaint was readily available for patients.

• Patients we spoke with were positive about access to the service. They said they found it generally easy to make an appointment, there was continuity of care and urgent appointments were available on the same day as requested.

• The practice had a good understanding of, and complied with, the requirements of the duty of candour. (The duty of candour is a set of specific legal requirements that providers of services must follow when things go wrong with care and treatment.)

• The partners had a culture of openness and honesty which was reflected in their approach to safety.

• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• There were comprehensive safeguarding systems in place; particularly around vulnerable children and adults.

• The practice sought patient views how improvements could be made to the service, through the use of patient surveys, the NHS Friends and Family Test and the Patient Participation Group (PPG).

• There was a clear leadership structure.

• The GP partners were forward thinking, aware of future challenges to the practice and were open to innovative practice.

We saw an area of outstanding practice including:

• The use of care navigators for patients with complex health needs ensuring they receive the right care at the right time by the right person. Initial evaluation of this service demonstrated positive outcomes for patients.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice