Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of Iridium Medical Practice on 19 May 2015. We have rated this practice overall as good.

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

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had a system for reporting, recording and monitoring significant events over time to keep patients, staff and visitors safe. However, we found an emergency medicine that was out of date.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Information was provided to help patients understand the care available to them.
• The practice was clean and hygienic with good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• The practice had appropriate skill mix of staff with expertise and experience in a range of health conditions.
• The practice was proactive in helping people with long term conditions to manage their health and had arrangements in place to make sure their health was monitored regularly.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• We found that the service was well led with policies and procedures in place to support the running of the practice.

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

The provider should:

• Ensure all emergency medicines are in date and safe to use.
• Ensure infection prevention and control policy reflects the lead staff member.
• Ensure systems are in place to monitor if cleaning is being done by cleaners according to the practices cleaning schedules.
• Obtain details of legionella testing from the landlord and ensure any actions identified are followed.
• Consider if the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) shared within the building by other services would be immediately available in the event of an emergency. An AED is a portable electronic device that analyses life threatening irregularities of the heart including ventricular fibrillation and is able to deliver an electrical shock to attempt to restore a normal heart rhythm.
• Ensure all staff are fully aware of the Mental Capacity Act.

• Ensure an adequate business continuity plan is in place.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

During our inspection we spoke with eight patients who used the service. We also spoke with eight members of clinical and administrative staff. This included a GP who was also the registered provider and the practice manager.

Patients spoken with were generally positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. They told us that they were treated with dignity and respect and that their health needs were kept under review. Most patients told us that they did not have any difficulties making appointments or accessing the service. Comments received from patients included: “They are excellent. I have been with them 25 years” and “They are absolutely brilliant here, I can’t fault them.”

We found patients were protected from the risks associated with medicines. Medicines were stored appropriately and patients on long term medication were kept under review.

Quality monitoring systems were in place at the practice. There were opportunities for patients and staff to comment on the quality of the service, although these were not always taken up.

We found that recruitment processes were not robust and could put patients at risk of being cared for by unsuitable staff.