Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rye Medical Centre on 8 September 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good but was rated as required improvements within the safe domain. The full comprehensive report on the September 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Rye Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Following this inspection the practice sent to us an action plan detailing what they would do to meet the legal requirements in relation to the following:

• Implementing a system to monitor hand written and computer printed prescription pads and forms.
• Ensuring that medicines management systems are reviewed to enable all controlled drugs to be dispensed in accordance to legal requirements.

Additionally we had found that:

• The practice needed to review their complaints process to ensure patients are given information on how they can escalate a complaint should they remain dissatisfied.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 1 March 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The provider had reviewed their medicines management procedures in relation to dispensing controlled drugs and evidence was seen that these medicines were being dispensed with in accordance to legal requirements.
• A system was now in place to monitor hand written and computer generated prescription pads and forms.
• The provider had reviewed their complaints management system and evidence was seen that patients were given appropriate information so as to allow them to escalate a complaint should they remain dissatisfied.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Rye Medical Centre on 8 September 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good but was rated as required improvements within the safe domain. The full comprehensive report on the September 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Rye Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Following this inspection the practice sent to us an action plan detailing what they would do to meet the legal requirements in relation to the following:

• Implementing a system to monitor hand written and computer printed prescription pads and forms.
• Ensuring that medicines management systems are reviewed to enable all controlled drugs to be dispensed in accordance to legal requirements.

Additionally we had found that:

• The practice needed to review their complaints process to ensure patients are given information on how they can escalate a complaint should they remain dissatisfied.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 1 March 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The provider had reviewed their medicines management procedures in relation to dispensing controlled drugs and evidence was seen that these medicines were being dispensed with in accordance to legal requirements.
• A system was now in place to monitor hand written and computer generated prescription pads and forms.
• The provider had reviewed their complaints management system and evidence was seen that patients were given appropriate information so as to allow them to escalate a complaint should they remain dissatisfied.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

This was a follow up inspection to check the provider had taken the required actions to meet essential standards following our previous inspection in February 2014.

During this inspection we spoke with six staff members which included two GPs, the practice manager, the dispensary manager, a practice nurse and a receptionist.

People were protected from abuse through the provision of staff training, the presence of clear policies and the availability of information to staff and people who used the service.

Since our last inspection, the provider had taken steps to ensure that appropriate systems were in place to manage medicines. An electronic stock control system had been introduced. Risks associated with the delivery of prescriptions to remote sites, for collection by patients, had been assessed.

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of patients who used the service. We spent time talking with patients and observing interaction between staff and patients. We reviewed records and systems and looked at the environment and how this impacted on the service delivery.

We spoke with seven patients who had attended the practice on the day of the inspection, one of which was the chair of the patient participation group (PPG). We spoke with the practice manager, the principal GP, a GP partner, a practice nurse, a receptionist and an attending district nurse and the medicines dispensing manager.

Patient’s feedback told us that they were happy with the care and service provided by the practice. One patient said, “It is really lovely here I cannot speak too highly of the place.”

Patients told us that their privacy and dignity was well respected, they had time to discuss their health care issues, and had been fully involved in making decisions about their care and treatment.

We looked at the processes that the practice had in place to ensure the patients were protected from abuse. These processes had not ensured that all staff received appropriate training on all safeguarding issues.

We looked at the arrangements the practice had in place for medicine management. This included the practice followed by the dispensing staff. Patients told us that prescriptions were provided in a timely fashion and, when medicines were prescribed any possible side effects were discussed. However, we found that not all risks had been assessed to ensure the safe management of medicines at all times.

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.

Staff told us that they had training and development opportunities and they were well supported by the provider. We saw evidence of training undertaken and planned training.