Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Kings Medical Centre on 23 October 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. They were analysed and areas for improvement identified.
• The practice had an effective recruitment process and staff were suitably qualified and experienced.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment.
• Staff were aware of relevant legislation in relation to consent including the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Clinical performance was monitored regularly and performance against targets was high. All staff understood their roles and worked towards achieving the targets and objectives that had been set.
• The practice was aware of the needs of their patient population group and tailored their services accordingly. Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Data available to us, feedback on CQC comment cards and information received from the patients we spoke with reflected that patients were very satisfied with the services provided.
• Patients resident in care homes received regular reviews of their care and treatment and their needs were being met.
• The practice had a clear vision and had identified the objectives of the practice. This was monitored, regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.
• There were high levels of staff satisfaction and staff worked as part of a cohesive unit. There was visible leadership and staff felt included and valued.

However there were areas of practice where the provider must make improvements:

• Ensure a risk assessment is in place and / or a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check has been received before any member of staff can undertake chaperone duties. Ensure those staff that are undertaking chaperone duties have the right knowledge to carry out their role.

There were also areas where the provider should make improvements;

• Ensure the defibrillator is regularly checked to ensure it is in working order and ready for use.
• Improve the system for monitoring staff training to ensure that the training required and frequency is identified and followed.
• Improve the recording of meetings that take place at the practice so that staff are involved in discussions about safety incidents and complaints where relevant. The practice should also include an audit trail to reflect that improvements identified have been actioned and by whom.
• Provide a sharps injury policy for the information of staff and ensure they are aware of the contents.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a desk based review for Kings Medical C

entre on 20 July 2016. This was to follow up on actions we asked the provider to take after our announced comprehensive inspection on 23 October 2015.

During the inspection in October 2015, we identified that the practice had not considered the need to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service check for all staff who acted as a chaperone. Some staff had not received training to undertake the role.

The practice wrote to tell us how they would make improvements and we have reviewed records they provided to show their actions had been completed.

Our key findings were;

• Staff acting as chaperones had received appropriate training and safety checks in order to safeguard patients.

There was one area where the provider should make an improvement:

• Review the provision for chaperone training so that staff are updated in the responsibilities of the role.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice