Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hatfield Health Centre on 14 December 2015. 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Patients said they found it difficult to get through to the practice by telephone and sometimes there were long queues at the reception desk to make appointments and pick prescriptions up. They did tell us there was continuity of care and all patients had a named GP. Urgent appointments were available on the same day.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review procedures to guarantee all staff have access to appropriate up to date policies, procedures and guidance to carry out their role.

• Review the provision of disclosure and barring service checks to ensure a timely response and gain an understanding of the disclosure and barring service update service.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice