This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating March 2016 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rowan Tree Practice on 2 August 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• 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 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.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

The building that the practice was located in was destroyed in a large fire in July 2017. Through strong team work and by working with external stakeholders the practice provided a basic service to their patients for the first 48 hours following the fire. A full service was provided by the practice based in a local community hospital for six months before moving back to the original location in temporary modular buildings. The practice worked to ensure that a service was provided to patients throughout this period minimising impact to patients and staff. Feedback we received from patients praised the practice for the service provided following the fire.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review and improved the recording of significant events.
• Review and improve the overview system for monitoring patients prescribed high risk medicines.
• Review and implement a system for recording checks of emergency medicines.
• Review and improve how results for cervical smears are managed.
• Review and improve the system for how patients, experiencing learning difficulties, are reviewed.
• Consider the meeting structure to improve opportunities for the nursing team to attend meetings.
• Consider and improve options for viewing the outcomes of risk assessments undertaken on behalf of the landlord within an appropriate timescale.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rowan Tree Practice on 12 January 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 the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.

• 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.

• Feedback from patients about their care was consistently and strongly positive.

• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group.

• 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 provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice