Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Hill View Surgery on 24 November 2015. A breach of legal requirements was found, in that not all risks relating to infection control, significant events and medicines were effectively managed. Also, the practice had not undertaken an appropriate check with the Disclosure and Barring Service, prior to a clinical member of staff starting work.

Overall the practice was rated as good; in view of the above the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services.

After the comprehensive inspection, the practice wrote to us to say what action they had, and were taking to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breach.

We undertook a desk based review on 17 August 2016 to check that the provider had completed the required actions, and now met the legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. We did not visit the practice as part of this review. 

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

This review found that the provider had taken appropriate action to meet the legal requirements.

• The practice was rated as good for providing safe services.

• The systems to assess and manage risks relating to infection control, significant events and medicines had been strengthened to ensure the services are safe. 

• The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and chaperone policy had been reviewed, to ensure the practice obtained appropriate checks for all staff. 

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 Hill View Surgery on 24 November 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. However, the practice needed to ensure systems were strengthened to prevent the reoccurrence of similar significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and generally well managed. However, the practice needed to ensure DBS checks were undertaken for all staff in line with its recruitment policies.
• 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 and learning from complaints was shared across the practice.
• 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.
• 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 areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Ensure appropriate background checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) are undertaken for all clinical staff in line with its recruitment policy.

• Ensure all risks are robustly assessed and do all that is reasonably practicable to mitigate these risks; including those related to infection control; preventing further occurrences of significant events and the proper and safe management of medicines.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice