Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Norwood Medical Centre on 17 May 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.
• Patients said 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they could make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• 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 one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had developed a Stroke Club to address social isolation, offer support and provide patient education for patients who had experienced a stroke and their carers. The group met at the practice regularly and the practice nurse would attend to offer support and guidance. It was well attended and the practice put on activities such as chair aerobics and fire safety talks for the group.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The practice should ensure the soap dispensers in the treatment rooms and toilets are wall mounted as identified on the infection control audit action plan.
• The practice should record the cleaning of equipment used for patient care.
• The practice should ensure all staff who chaperone patients have a Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check completed. (DBS checks identify whether a person has a criminal record or is on an official list of people barred from working in roles where they may have contact with children or adults who may be vulnerable).

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice