Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Robin Hood Surgery on 5 July 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, recording and investigating significant events. Lessons were shared to make sure action was taken to improve safety in the practice.
• 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.
• There was evidence to show that most staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment. Although staff had a good understanding of their responsibilities there was no evidence of training that was appropriate to staff roles, such as safeguarding, infection control, information governance and fire safety training for some staff members.
• 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 found it easy to 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 practice held regular clinical meetings. Meetings with non-clinical staff were informal and were not documented.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure all staff know how to use the defibrillator.

• Ensure appropriate recruitment checks are conducted for all new staff prior to employment and there is a robust system for documenting processes such as meetings and training received.

• Ensure translation services and the facility to discuss sensitive information in private is advertised in a format patients can understand, and review how patients with caring responsibilities are identified and recorded on the clinical system to ensure information, advice and support is made available to them.

• Strengthen efforts to establish a patient participation group and improve patient satisfaction, particularly with regard to waiting times, and review opportunities to make the practice more accessible to wheelchair users.

• Continuously monitor and improve outcomes for patients with poor mental health, in relation to the Quality and Outcomes Framework.  

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice