Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Spring Gardens Group Medical Practice on 4 May 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all of the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded.

• The practice was using the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS). This is a means of sharing lessons learned from safety incidents.

• Staffing levels were monitored to ensure they matched patients’ needs. Due to some staff leaving the practice there was a shortage of clinical staff. Recently an advanced nurse practitioner and a practice nurse had been recruited and efforts were being made to employ a GP.

• Safe arrangements were in place for staff recruitment that protected patients from risks of harm. Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• The practice used innovative and proactive methods to improve patient outcomes. Clinical research and audits led to improved patient care.

• Research was on-going regarding patients who experienced poor mental health. Personalised care plans were put in place and a support system for relatives of these patients.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training had been identified and planned. The roles of nursing staff were constantly being expanded following appropriate training. This resulted in a positive impact on GPs’ workloads.

• Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their treatment.

• Information about how to make a complaint was readily available and easy to understand.

• There was a clear leadership structure and staff told us they felt well supported by senior staff. Management proactively sought feedback from patients which it acted on.

• A number of initiatives completed had resulted in improved outcomes for patients. For example, the developed template for patients who required end of life care. An on-going initiative involved a senior manager working with other practices to ensure there was a consistent approach for the use of computer flagging for identification of patients who had specific needs. This would be beneficial to patients who moved between practices.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice