Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Readsmoor Medical Group Practice on 10 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.
• 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.
• 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 areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure regular infection control practice led audits are undertaken and that the infection control lead has received training within the previous year.

• Ensure the practice implements a Duty of Candour policy.

• Continue with its ongoing plan to improve patient access.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Our inspection of 10th January 2014 found that improvements were needed to the training provided to staff around safeguarding vulnerable adults and children to ensure staff had the knowledge they needed to recognise and respond to concerns about abuse. We also found that improvements were needed to the staff recruitment procedure and practices to ensure patients received care and treatment from staff who were suitable for their role.

We carried out this visit to ensure these improvements had been made. We found that overall appropriate action had been taken.

We spoke with 18 patients and four family members. We spoke with some patients in groups and with some in private. We also spoke with the three of the GPs, the practice manager, the deputy practice manager, two members of the Patient Participation Group (PPG), two nurses, two members of the reception team and one member of the cleaning team.

Patients told us that they, “Never had any problems getting an appointment; I can be seen on the same day if it’s an emergency”.

One patient said, “This is an excellent practice, they work hard and listen. If there is an issue they really do listen.”

All of the people that we met said that they were very happy with the service they received at the practice.

The Patient Participation Group (PPG) was well organised and had been particularly effective.

The provider had suitable arrangements in place that respected the dignity and privacy of patients.

The provider made provision for safe and appropriate care, treatment and support.

There were arrangements in place for all staff to be able to recognise and report children’s safeguarding concerns to the relevant person and authority, but more needed to be done in relation to developing arrangements for adult safeguarding.

Patients were protected because of the safety and suitability of the premises.

Staff screening needed to be improved by Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and documented appointment procedures in keeping with legal requirements.