Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Middleton Lodge Practice on 21 January 2016. 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.
• Most risks to patients were assessed and well managed; however there were areas where systems needed to be strengthened to ensure all risks were mitigated.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients told us they found it easy to make urgent appointments on the same day but that could sometimes be a wait to access non-urgent appointments.
• There was an ongoing programme of improvement in place to upgrade facilities within the practice.
• The practice had a wide range of policies and procedures to govern activity and support staff.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

However we identified areas where the provider should make improvements. The provider should:

• Ensure blank computer prescriptions are handled in line with guidance

• Ensure all measures to control the risk of legionella are implemented.

• Improve mechanisms to communicate with all staffing groups including reception and administrative staff.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice