Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Northgate Surgery on 14 June 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.
• 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.
• 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 staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw two areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice were involved in a care homes pilot project, offering a daily ward round service by the Nurse Practitioner. The project contributed to a number of improvements in care, including a 39% reduction in accident and emergency (A&E) attendances, a 42% reduction in A&E admissions and the percentage of residents with a care plan in place rose from 59% to 100%.
• The practice employed a clinical practitioner (former paramedic) to improve patient experience by using existing knowledge of responding to acute situations. The clinical practitioner delivered a number of services which included; minor injuries and treatment clinics, triage service, delivery of home visits to patients (including dementia reviews) and care home visits. This approach had seen diversification of the primary care workforce and the effective utilisation of paramedic skills to deliver primary care.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Northgate Surgery is a training practice providing primary medical services to approximately 11,400 patients living in the Pontefract area. Services are provided under the terms of the nationally agreed Standard General Medical Services contract. The practice registered with the Care Quality Commission as a partnership on 1 April 2013 to provide the following regulated activities:-

•           Diagnostic and screening procedures.

•           Surgical procedures.

•           Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

•           Family planning.

•           Maternity and midwifery services.

The practice building is clean and well-maintained. Car parking is limited but a space is reserved for patients with limited mobility. The practice entrance is accessed via a ramp and entry to the main reception desk and patient waiting area is via automatic doors. Patients wishing to talk to the staff in private can ask to use a small room adjacent to the main waiting area.

Patients are cared for by trained and experienced staff and receive treatment appropriate to their needs. The staff are proactive in assessing the risks to patients and ensuring their safety is maintained. The staff seek the views of patients and take action to improve the service. The practice meets national regulatory standards and provides services that are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.