Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sunny Meed Surgery on 24 November 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.
• We saw evidence of an active programme of clinical audit that reviewed care and ensured actions were implemented to enhance outcomes for patients.
• 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 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. Same day appointments were available for children (under the age of 16 years) who required same day consultation.
• The practice participated in the hospital admission avoidance scheme and maintained a register of patients who were at high risk of a hospital admission.
• The practice encouraged and valued feedback from patients, the public and staff.
• The practice was open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday, The practice offered extended hours from 6.30pm to 8.30pm Monday and Thursday evenings with the Practice Nurse and the HCA  and 6.30pm to 8.30pm on a rotating basis either on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday evening with one of the GP partners.
• 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.
• All staff were trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DOLS). All staff were trained to be ‘dementia friendly’.

• The practice was actively ensuring that patients had accessible information provided to them in the format required. For example, in the form of large print or access to interpreters or translation services

We saw several areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice had a holistic approach to assessing, planning and delivering care and treatment for young patients who use services. The practice had carried out work with young patients to improve their awareness of what general practice could offer and information about their rights regarding access and confidentiality. We saw notices around the practice informing young patients of this and the practice had a young person’s champion. The practice had created a questionnaire specifically for young patients and had created an action plan from the comments received. Results indicated that 100% of those that responded felt they had been able to get an appointment that suited them and felt at ease during their consultation. The practice had thought about ways to engage with younger patients and there were links to ‘YouTube’ videos for younger patients to access.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure that patient privacy is reviewed in consulting rooms overlooking the drive

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

This was a follow up inspection that related to infection control. We found on this follow up inspection that the provider had taken the necessary steps to address areas identified during our previous inspection in February 2014.

We saw that the provider had introduced new systems which ensured that sterilised equipment was checked regularly. We also saw policies that related to infection control as well as a recent infection control audit.

We carried out this inspection to look at the care and welfare provided to patients by the staff of Sunny Meed Surgery. We did not go to the branch surgery as part of our inspection. During our visit we spoke with four patients and seven members of staff including the registered manager. We also collected five responses to a questionnaire we left in the waiting area.

We saw that staff treated patients with respect, for example we saw that staff closed doors of the consulting and treatment rooms that provided privacy and dignity to patients. All of the patients that we spoke with told us that they felt respected by the staff at the practice. One patient told us “Everything is discussed and I feel involved.”

We found that staff were aware of procedures around safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. We saw that the practice had safeguarding policies that related to adults and children and there was a lead contact for these at the practice.

We found the practice clean, tidy and well organised. However, we found some sterile items of equipment that had expired and we had some concerns with the storage of the cleaner’s equipment.

Staff felt supported in the practice and each member of staff had the opportunity to meet with their manager on an individual basis to discuss their work.

We saw that the practice had a complaints policy which was made available to patients. We noted that complaints were responded to in a timely manner.

Patients were happy with Sunny Meed Surgery. We were told “Most doctors are excellent and go above and beyond the call of duty”, and “The reception staff and doctors are always great.”