Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Haven Health on 20 June 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• The practice used innovative and proactive methods to improve patient outcomes, working with other providers to share best practice.
• There was a clear leadership structure, which was understood by the staff we spoke with. They told us the lead GP, and practice manager had involved them in developing their practice vision, and future development plans to offer greater services to their patients.
• The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The practice had systems to minimise risks to patient safety. A practice improvement plan was used to ensure improvements were made in a timely way and where delays occurred the risks were reviewed.
• Practice staff were aware of current evidence based guidance, and had been trained to provide the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment. The clinical staff discussed the guidance and patient cases at regular meetings.
• Results from the national GP patient survey, published in July 2016, showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity, and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. The practice used social media to engage patients and gain feedback, and to inform patients of changes within the practice.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients we spoke with said they found it easy to make an appointment and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day. Extended hours appointments were available at the practice on Thursday mornings. The practice, in collaboration with two local practices, offered same day appointments at Felixstowe community hospital. The practice was also part of a GP+ service. This meant patients were able to be seen for evening or weekend appointments at Felixstowe Community Hospital and a location in nearby Ipswich.
• The practice had identified 3.4% of the practice list as carers. This included older people and young carers.
• The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.
• The practice was proactive in the health education of young people. They recently engaged school children in an art competition to design posters for their smoking cessation campaign. The entries were displayed in the practice and the practice reported a positive effect on patients. Annually, the practice held an open day for medical students from the Cambridge Medical School. This gave any young person who was aspiring to become a doctor the opportunity to learn more and the practice sent out the invitation to the local sixth form schools.
• The practice was proactive in health promotion and had won stop smoking awards in 2013 and 2016 for the work in promoting healthy lifestyles. They offered a C Card scheme to young people and had won two awards for the high quality of service given. C Card schemes enabled young people (including those not registered at the practice) to access free contraceptives.
• Continuous support was given to families who had suffered bereavement, and a card was sent on the anniversary of the bereavement.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice