Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hilltop Surgery on 14 November 2014. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, well-led, effective, caring and responsive services. It was also good for providing services for older people, people with long term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people who circumstances may make them vulnerable, and people experiencing poor mental health.

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

• Systems were in place to ensure the environment and equipment were clean and staff followed hygienic procedures to minimise the risk of infection.
• The practice worked in partnership with midwives, health visitors and school nurses to share information, concerns, and best ways to support families.
• Patients described the staff as friendly and caring, and said that they felt that they treated them with respect and dignity.
• Patients were involved in decisions about their health and treatment, and received support to cope emotionally with their care and condition
• There was good teamwork, leadership, and commitment to improving the quality of care and patients experiences.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Update arrangements processes and systems to ensure that emergency medicines and equipment are available for the doctor’s bags.

• Ensure the safeguarding adult’s policies and procedures and the whistleblowing policy are up to date and in line with internal reporting procedures. The whistleblowing policy should include contact organisations and current guidance on how to raise concerns at work.
• Ensure that staff have the necessary knowledge and understanding in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to apply the principles of the Act when necessary.
• The practice should review their arrangements for recruitment to ensure that appropriate risks assessments and checks are completed when necessary.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice