Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Helsby Health Centre on 31 August 2016. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the August 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Helsby Health Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 28 February 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 31 August 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The premises were safely maintained.

• The governance systems had been improved to ensure that the required recruitment information was obtained prior to the employment of staff.

• The governance systems had been improved to ensure that staff had received the training required for their roles.

In addition, the practice had made the following improvements:

• A record was made of action taken following the receipt of patient safety alerts.

• The storage of emergency medication had been reviewed.

• A system had been put in place to record the receipt and allocation of printable prescriptions.

• An infection control audit had taken place and the actions arising from this were being monitored.

• The system for recording when children do not attend for appointments had been reviewed.

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 of Helsby Health Centre on 31 August 2016. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the August 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Helsby Health Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 28 February 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 31 August 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The premises were safely maintained.

• The governance systems had been improved to ensure that the required recruitment information was obtained prior to the employment of staff.

• The governance systems had been improved to ensure that staff had received the training required for their roles.

In addition, the practice had made the following improvements:

• A record was made of action taken following the receipt of patient safety alerts.

• The storage of emergency medication had been reviewed.

• A system had been put in place to record the receipt and allocation of printable prescriptions.

• An infection control audit had taken place and the actions arising from this were being monitored.

• The system for recording when children do not attend for appointments had been reviewed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We found that patients were satisfied with the service provided at the practice. Comments made included:

“It’s absolutely excellent”,

“They fully explain everything to us”,

“Excellent, we are blessed with this service”,

“It’s great, I have no concerns and am very pleased with the care given especially with regards to dementia patients”.

We found that there were suitable systems in place to gain consent from the patients. Staff who obtained consent were able to describe the consent process for both formal and informal consent. Staff demonstrated knowledge and understanding in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.

We found that patients care and treatment was assessed, planned and delivered in order to meet their needs. Care and treatment plans were documented and reviewed and patients were fully informed and involved in their care or treatment.

Staff were trained and appraised appropriately and there was monitoring of training and development needs. Staff told us they were well supported by the manager and by the partner GPs.

We found the provider had effective systems in place for monitoring the quality of services. There was an active Patient Participation Group (PPG), current policies and procedures and learning from complaints, incidents and significant events.