Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Shakespeare Health Centre on 10 August 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.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• 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 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.
• Most patients said they found it easy to make an appointment 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 the partners, the lead GP and management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The practice should ensure that it reviews non-clinical safety alerts. For example it should risk assess its use of vertical blinds with looped cords in line with the relevant alert issued by NHS England.
• The practice could improve its fire safety procedures by carrying out periodic fire drills.
• The practice should ensure that all sharps bins are checked and removed as appropriate.
• The practice had only identified ten patients who were carers and was not confident in the accuracy of this list. The practice should improve its identification of carers to ensure these patients receive appropriate assessment and support.
• The practice provided information in the waiting room and on its website about the service, the patient participation group, and recent patient feedback. It should also consider providing information about its vision and values.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice