Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Painswick Surgery on 13 June 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice good for providing safe, effective, responsive, caring and well led services.

Our key findings 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.

• We found that completed audit cycles were driving positive outcomes for patients.

• Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

• 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 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.

• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment and that 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.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We visited the Painswick Surgery on 05 August 2013 and spent the day at the surgery. For the inspection we spoke with the practice manager, a practice nurse, a doctor, a receptionist and patients.

The Painswick Surgery was a welcoming practice with friendly and courteous staff. A variety of information was displayed in the waiting room for the benefit of the patients. This included notices about the practice and leaflets on health promotion and other support services.

All of the feedback we received was very positive about the practice and the care and treatment provided. One patient said, "The staff are polite and pleasant and it's easy to get an appointment. I was referred to another service for treatment and that went well." Another patient told us, “This practice provides an excellent service. Four generations of my family are registered here and we have all experienced a highly professional, yet caring service”.

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

People who used the service can be assured that recruitment practices protected them from being treated by unsuitable staff.

We saw records were kept of adverse events, accidents or incidents including actions taken. The practice completed audits/reports following significant events or receiving complaints, in order to learn and make changes as required.