Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at School Hill Medical Practice on 20 April 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. However, two of these areas required improvement and applying consistently including monitoring staff training requirements and recruitment checks.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
• 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 could get same day appointments but some told us they experienced difficulties accessing the practice by telephone and making an appointment.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. The practice staff worked hard to overcome the restraints placed upon them due to working in a listed building.
• 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.

• We saw two areas of outstanding practice:

• A GP, who specialised in sexual health, attended local secondary schools to discuss sexual health issues with year 9 pupils (13-14 years of age). This GP also attended “relationship days” and “Fresher’s” week at a local college. The practice operated a sexual health clinic available to all patients between 16 and 25 years of age within the CCG area.

• The practice had started a dermatology clinic which allowed patients from any GP within the Clinical Commissioning Group area to be referred to for treatment. A feature of this clinic was tele-dermatology, this services was offered so that advice could be given on some conditions by viewing photographs of the affected skin area.

The area where the provider should make improvements are:

• To ensure appropriate training for staff is completed and monitored and to ensure time frames for re-training are met. This includes training in respect including fire safety, manual handling, health and safety, the mental capacity act, safeguarding children and adults.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice