Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hollyoaks Medical Centre on 9 February 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes by discussing them at their monthly meetings.

• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

• The practice had a comprehensive programme of quality improvement activity and routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care provided.

• The practice responded to the needs of its population and offered daily home visit sessions and daily nursing home visits due to the large number of older patients registered at the practice.

• The practice offered the carers at the residential homes looking after their registered patients the chance to register as a temporary patient and have the flu vaccination. In the last year 19 carers from the care homes did so.

• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation. Staff were encouraged to develop.

• The practice was very proactive in diagnosing and initiating treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. The practice had purchased two machines with which AF could be diagnosed and then treatment could be started within hours instead of sending patients to secondary care where it would take longer.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice