Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Malling Health Great Bridge on 6 January 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events. Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

• Exception reporting for the Quality Outcomes Framework was high in some areas compared to the CCG and national averages.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The practice should continue to take action to address the lower than average ratings in the national GP survey.

• The practice should continue to review their systems to monitor and improve the higher than average exception rates for QOF performance indicators

• The practice should consider how they can improve the uptake for national screening programmes

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice