Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection February 2015, rating - Good)

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Requires Improvement

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:

Older People – Good

People with long-term conditions – Good

Families, children and young people – Good

Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Mid-Downs Medical Practice (also known as Newick Health Centre) on 23 November 2017. The inspection was carried out 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.

• 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.

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

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The practice recognised that the patient’s emotional and social needs were as important as their physical needs.

• The practice ensured all recruitment checks were undertaken prior to staff starting employment.

• Blank prescription forms were not always kept securely in consulting rooms in accordance with national guidance.

• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

• The practice was pro-active in supporting patients, and their carers, with dementia and memory difficulties in the local community. The practice had recently set up a drop in ‘Dementia Café’ at the local village hall.

The areas where the provider must make improvements as they are in breach of regulations are:

• Implement a secure system for the storage of blank prescriptions in consulting rooms.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review the availability of emergency medicines to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the British National Formulary and the Resuscitation Council (UK).

• The practice should continue their work in improving the delivery of immunisations to children.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Mid Downs Medical Practice on 26 February 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

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

Specifically the provider should:-

• Ensure that there is a planned on-going programme for undertaking clinical audits.
• Ensure all staff are familiar with the practice’s values and mission statement.
• Ensure that all waste bins in the practice are pedal operated.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice