Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of the practice on 15 March 2016. Breaches of legal requirements were found. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice wrote to us to say what they would do to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breach of regulation 17(2) (b) Good Governance of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

We undertook this desk-based focussed inspection on 19 October 2016 to check that they had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met the legal requirements. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also where additional improvements have been made following the initial inspection. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Green Street Green Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Overall the practice is rated as Good. Specifically, following the focussed inspection we found the practice to be good for providing safe services.

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

• Risks to patients were assessed and well-managed, including those related to electrical equipment checks, fire safety and infection control.

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 Green Street Green Medical Centre on 15 March 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 not always 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments 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.

There were areas of practice where the provider must make improvements:

• Ensure that fire drills are undertaken appropriately.
• Ensure that infection control audits are undertaken on a regular basis.

There were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• Ensure that electrical equipment checks are undertaken on a regular basis.
• Ensure that the chaperone processes are in line with guidelines and that staff have been trained and undertake a risk assessment to ascertain if DBS checks are required for all staff who undertake this role.
• Ensure yearly appraisals are performed for all practice staff.
• Ensure that ombudsman information is provided in the response letter for complaints.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice