Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rosemary Street Health Centre on 14 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 and recording significant events.
• 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment on the day although if they requested a particular GP there would be a wait for an appointment of up to three weeks.
• Care home staff said that they found it difficult to get through on the telephone and that staff were sometimes busy to answer their queries.
• Patients were positive about the care and treatment received. The practice was rated in line with national and local averages in almost all the national survey questions.
• The practice facilities were well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
• The practice sought feedback from patients and the patient participation group were active.
• Blank prescription forms and pads were securely stored but there were no systems in place to monitor their use, however this was rectified at the inspection and the practice then produced a policy and procedure the day after the inspection.
• References, qualifications and registration with the appropriate professional body had been completed however the appropriate checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service had not been completed for all administration staff. On the day of the inspection there were no risk assessments in place, however these were produced the following day.
• Risks to patients were assessed however risk assessments were overdue for review at the time of the inspection.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Make sure that the recruitment process includes risk assessments in relation to DBS checks.

• Ensure that risk assessments at the practice are reviewed regularly.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice