Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Penketh Health Centre on 19 May 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Penketh Health Centre provided safe, effective, responsive care that was well led and addressed the needs of the population it served.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Systems were in place to ensure incidents and significant events were identified, investigated and reported. Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Lessons learnt from the investigation of safety incidents were disseminated to staff. Infection risks and medicines were managed safely.

• People’s needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current legislation and guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned. Patients experienced clinical outcomes that were in line with or above the national average.

• Patients spoke highly of the practice. They said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their treatment.

• The practice provided care to its population that was responsive to their health needs. Patients were listened to and feedback was acted upon. Complaints were managed appropriately.

• There was a clear leadership structure, staff enjoyed working for the practice and felt well supported and valued. The practice monitored, evaluated and improved services. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

There was an area of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Improve access to appointments by reviewing the appointment system.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice