Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

The practice is rated good overall and good for providing safe services.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this practice on 20 April 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. However, a breach of legal requirements was found during that inspection within the safe domain. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice sent us evidence and actions detailing what they would do to meet the legal requirements. We conducted a focused inspection on 24 May 2017 to check that the provider had followed their plans and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements.

During our previous inspection on 20 April 2016 we found the following area where the practice must improve:

• Implement robust arrangements for child protection.

Our previous report also highlighted the following areas where the practice should improve:

• Undertake quality improvement initiatives to monitor and improve outcomes for patients.
• Ensure all staff are appropriately trained in basic life support.
• Review the system for identifying patients who are carers.
• Consider how to ensure patients with a hearing disability can be communicated with.
• Ensure that its child protection IT system and policy remain up to date and robust.
• Seek to understand and address low GP patient survey results of patients feeling treated with care and concern for both nurses and GPs.
• Engage with patients to understand and address difficulties in making an appointment.
• Look at how it can improve aspects of clinical performance for people experiencing poor mental health.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link on our website at www.cqc.org.uk 

During the inspection on 24 May 2017 we found:

• Arrangements for child protection were current and effective.
• The practice had undertaken quality improvement activity including completed audits such as to lower rates of inadequate cervical screening tests and to ensure rapid follow up for patients requiring cancer screening or treatment.
• Clinical and non-clinical staff were trained in basic life support.
• Arrangements for identifying patients who are carers and communication for patients with a hearing disability had been reviewed and were appropriate.
• GP patient survey results scores had improved for patients feeling treated with care and concern for nurses and GPs and being able to get an appointment and were comparable to local and national averages.

• 2015-2016 clinical performance data for people experiencing poor mental health showed the practice was performing in line with local and national averages.

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 Stratford Village Surgery on 20 April 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, with the exception of child protection.

• 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.
• Urgent appointments were usually available on the day they were requested. However, some patients said they found it difficult to get an appointment.

• 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.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Implement robust arrangements for child protection.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Ensure that its child protection IT system and policy remain up to date and robust.
• Seek to understand and address low GP patient survey results of patients feeling treated with care and concern for both nurses and GPs.
• Engage with patients to understand and address difficulties in making an appointment.
• Look at how it can improve aspects of clinical performance for people experiencing poor mental health.
• Undertake quality improvement initiatives to monitor and improve outcomes for patients.
• Ensure all staff are appropriately trained in basic life support.
• Review the system for identifying patients who are carers.
• Consider how to ensure patients with a hearing disability can be communicated with.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice