Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Featherstone Medical Practice on 12 May 2015. The overall rating for the practice is good. We found the practice to be good in the safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led domains. The practice is rated good for the population groups:

• Older people
• People with long term conditions
• Families, children and young people
• Working age people (including those recently retired and students)
• People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable
• People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia)

Our key findings were as follows:

• Systems were in place to ensure that all staff had access to relevant national patient safety alerts. Infection prevention and control systems were managed and staff had received appropriate training.

• Staff received support, appraisals and role specific training to ensure they carried out their roles effectively. GPs carried out clinical audits to check that patients received appropriate care and treatment.

• Staff were friendly, caring and respected patient confidentiality. Patients we spoke with said that all staff were compassionate, listened to what they had to say and treated them with respect. Patients told us they were satisfied with the care they received. Staff worked together as a team to ensure they provided safe, co-ordinated patient care.

• There was a register of all vulnerable patients who were reviewed regularly. Patients who had long term conditions were regularly reviewed. GPs carried out clinical audits and made changes to patients care and treatments to ensure best practice. Information and feedback from patients was used to develop good systems of care.

• The practice had a clear vision to deliver high quality care and promote good outcomes for patients. This was evident when speaking with staff and patients during our inspection. There was a clear leadership structure with named staff in lead roles.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice