Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rotton Park Medical Centre on 19 December 2016. Overall the practice is rated as outstanding.

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 for reporting and recording significant events. Learning outcomes were shared with staff and were embedded within the practice.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. These included safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, medicines management and health and safety precautions which included the practice’s ability to respond to an emergency.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Clinical audit drove quality improvement in all areas of activity. Staff had been trained to provide patients with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patient feedback from CQC comment cards showed that patients 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, which had been recently updated 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 was forward thinking and was involved in a local pilot aimed at improving healthcare for its patients.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice held a register of 22 patients who had experienced FGM (female genital mutilation) or who were at risk of FGM. We saw specific examples of interventions made by practice GPs to reduce the risk of FGM occurring. We also reviewed examples where the practice had liaised with and made appropriate referrals to specialist healthcare professionals when FGM had been identified.

• The practice were responsive to the needs of its local population. They offered a latent tuberculosis (TB) testing screening service because they were aware of the high prevalence for latent TB within the locality. The practice were assisting in designing a new service for HIV and chlamydia screening, as it was identified there was a high prevalence for HIV within the local area. The initiative was planned to be rolled out to other GP practices within the locality once the pilot was completed.
• The practice had designed a bespoke template for use as part of an audit involving MHRA alerts received. The practice were taking steps to share the template and subsequent learning from the audit amongst other local practices.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice