Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of Rother House Medical Centre on 31 March 2015. Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It was also good for providing services for the older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people living in vulnerable circumstances, and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had comprehensive systems for monitoring and maintaining the safety of patients and the care and treatment they provided to their patients.
• The practice was proactive in helping people with long term conditions to manage their health and had arrangements in place to make sure their health was monitored regularly.
• The practice was clean and hygienic and had arrangements for reducing the risks from healthcare associated infections.
• Patients felt that they were treated with dignity and respect. They felt that their GP listened to them and treated them as individuals.
• The practice had an established and well trained team with expertise and experience in a wide range of health conditions.
• The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as a high priority. A business plan was in place, was monitored and regularly reviewed and discussed with all staff. High standards were promoted and owned by all practice staff with evidence of team working across all roles.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rother House Medical Centre on 24 April 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice had clear systems, processes and practices in place to protect people from abuse. Staff were aware of how to raise a safeguarding concern and had access to internal leads.
• The practice informed us that they carried out appropriate staff checks at the time of recruitment and on an ongoing basis. On the day of the inspection the practice were unable to evidence that the necessary checks had been carried out for a locum GP. After the inspection, the practice provided evidence that recruitment checks had been completed for the locum GP and that indemnity cover was place.
• There was an effective system to manage infection prevention and control.
• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• The practice responded to complaints in an efficient and open manner.
• Staff took steps, including working with other agencies, to protect patients from abuse, neglect, harassment, discrimination and breaches of their dignity and respect.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
• The practice had suitable facilities and was well equipped and maintained to treat patients and meet their needs.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Develop an effective system to record, monitor and track prescription stationery.
• Review the system to track and monitor safety alerts effectively.
• Continue to monitor the effectiveness of new initiatives to increase the uptake for cervical screening.
• Review systems to ensure that staff remain up to date with training considered essential by the practice.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)

Chief Inspector of General Practice