Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St. Peter’s Medical Practice on 5 February 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.
• 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 could make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• 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.

We found two areas where the provider should make improvement:

• The reception area would benefit from a more formal queuing system to encourage only one person at a time to approach the reception desk. This would improve the level of confidentiality.
• The practice should continue to improve their phone system and look at ways of improving this service.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice