Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a focused follow up inspection at Little Waltham and Great Notley Surgeries on 21st November 2016 to check that improvements had been made.

At our previous inspection of 19th April 2016, the practice was rated good overall, with requires improvement for providing well-led services. It was rated as good for providing safe, effective, caring and responsive services, although we advised that there was action that the provider should take with regards to ensuring that services were caring. As a result of our inspection 19th April 2016, the practice was issued with a requirement notice for improvement and the practice sent us an action plan telling us how they were going to meet the regulations.

Necessary improvements have been made, and the practice is now rated as good in all domains.

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

• There had been improvements to governance arrangements.

• Policies were centrally located and accessible to all staff.

• Vaccines were kept securely.

• Nurses were using up to date directions to administer vaccines.

• Stationery was handled in accordance with national guidance.

• Emergency medicines were regularly checked which sought to ensure it was safe for use.

• Posters in the waiting area alerted patients to the availability of chaperones.

There continued to be one area where the provider should make improvements:

• The provider should identify and support carers.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a focused follow up inspection at Little Waltham and Great Notley Surgeries on 21st November 2016 to check that improvements had been made.

At our previous inspection of 19th April 2016, the practice was rated good overall, with requires improvement for providing well-led services. It was rated as good for providing safe, effective, caring and responsive services, although we advised that there was action that the provider should take with regards to ensuring that services were caring. As a result of our inspection 19th April 2016, the practice was issued with a requirement notice for improvement and the practice sent us an action plan telling us how they were going to meet the regulations.

Necessary improvements have been made, and the practice is now rated as good in all domains.

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

• There had been improvements to governance arrangements.

• Policies were centrally located and accessible to all staff.

• Vaccines were kept securely.

• Nurses were using up to date directions to administer vaccines.

• Stationery was handled in accordance with national guidance.

• Emergency medicines were regularly checked which sought to ensure it was safe for use.

• Posters in the waiting area alerted patients to the availability of chaperones.

There continued to be one area where the provider should make improvements:

• The provider should identify and support carers.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We visited both Little Waltham and Great Notley surgeries as part of our inspection.

We spoke with five people who used the surgery. One person said, “I go to the diabetic clinic and am reviewed by the nurse every six months.” Another person said, “The doctors are good clinically, but also good on a human level.” We looked at the records of three people and saw their needs had been assessed and care and treatment was planned and reviewed.

Staff had guidance to follow for medicines dispensing work and these were in the process of being updated. There were appropriate arrangements in place for the obtaining, recording and auditing of controlled drugs.

We looked at the files for four members of staff. We saw they had been supported to attend courses and conferences applicable to their job role. One staff member told us, “I had an induction. I feel supported. It is a really good place to work.”

We looked at three complaints and saw that they had been responded to and investigated within the timescales given in the surgery’s procedure.

We saw that people’s views had been obtained and there was evidence to show that changes had been implemented following people’s feedback, for example advanced booking of appointments with a preferred GP. One person told us, “I am able to make suggestions. They do listen.”