Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Streatham Place Surgery on 7 June 2017. 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.
• Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Results from the national GP patient survey showed that in most areas patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients we spoke with said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and 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 the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

We saw several areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice had invested in a business intelligence tool which provided ready access to searches relevant to medicines management and effective care outside of those provided through the patient record system. This provided ready access to information relating to when follow up tests for patients on medicines used to manage long term condition and patients with poor mental health. All staff were involved in the monitoring and improvement of outcomes, and there were both clinical and administrative leads in place to ensure that follow ups were scheduled. The practice had evidence to show that the system had improved compliance of tests in the eighteen months that they had managed the practice.

• The provider had arranged relevant in house training for all staff in the practice for the next year. Training was determined on the basis of role, and training was delivered in person, by Webex and where necessary 1:1. For clinical staff this focussed on the management of long term conditions and mental health. All staff at the practice undertook training on the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice