Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at 12 September 2016 on Silverdale & Ryecroft Practice. 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 been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• 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 access appointments and services in a way and at a time that suited them.
• 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 the 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

• .

  As part of the NHS England General Practice Forward View to transform and stabilise the

  future of general practice, the practice was one of the first practices in the

  country to lead on a pilot to drive efficiencies in the workforce to free up GP

  time to see more patients.

We saw two areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice was proactive in working with the Patient Participation Group (PPG) to improve health outcomes for patients. For example, in collaboration with the PPG, the practice had developed an in-house series of health promotion booklets called ‘Let’s Talk about…’ that covered issues such as diabetes, healthy eating and substance misuse; established a monthly walking group called ‘Silverdale Steppers’ to help to reduce social isolation, reduce the risk of falls and promote healthy lifestyles and established ‘Silverlink’, a befriending service for patients who were lonely and isolated.

• Patients of no fixed abode and patients with substance misuse issues who were unable to adhere to the appointment system were provided with appointments out of standard appointment times to ensure they had access to health care when they needed it.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure that all reception staff who chaperone stand in a position where they can clearly observe the intimate procedure taking place.

• Ensure blank printable prescriptions are stored securely.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice