Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sutterton Surgery on 17 November 2015. 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.
• Most 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.
• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.

• Patients said they found it easy to 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.
• The practice had a number of policies and procedures to govern activity, but some were overdue a review.

The areas where the provider should make improvements:

• Improve the system for the identification of carers and vulnerable adults
• Consider the implementation of a training matrix to ensure that all staff receive training relevant to their role. For example, safeguarding training.
• Ensure all staff who act as chaperone have received appropriate training
• Further embed the system for the documentation for the recording of all refrigerator temperatures within the practice.
• Review and update procedures and guidance. For example, cold chain policy to provide staff with the guidance on the event of a potential failure.
• Embed a system to check NMC/GMC status for all relevant staff
• Ensure learning from complaints is disseminated to all staff.
• Embed a formalised process for the recording of minutes of meetings.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice