Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Talbot Medical Centre on 6 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good. We have rated the population group of families, children and young people outstanding.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents and near misses.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) showed patient outcomes were below local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and national averages. However the practice were able to demonstrate that data for the 2015/16 period which were not yet published had improved to 96.3 from 88.5% in 2014/15.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
• Staff were consistent and proactive in supporting patients to live healthier lives through a targeted approach to health promotion. Information was provided to patients to help them understand the care and treatment available
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The practice had a system in place for handling complaints and concerns and responded quickly to any complaints.
• The practice had reviewed their appointment system, following feedback from patients and staff.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure in place and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which they acted on.
• Staff throughout the practice worked well together as a team.
• The practice was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw one area of outstanding practice;

• The practice were the first organisation in South Tyneside to be awarded the Change for Life young people’s award. This is an NHS organisation dedicated to the health and well-being of the public. In addition, the practice carried out work with young people to improve their awareness of what general practice can offer and their rights regarding access and consent. This involved giving a lesson to year eight pupils at a local secondary school. This was delivered by GPs, nurses and NHS staff. At the start of the lesson 38% of students knew what confidentiality meant and at the end 96% felt they knew the meaning. 14% at the start of the lesson knew there was no age limit to see a GP or nurse on their own, by the end 82% knew this. The practice put forward a paper to the CCG Informal Executive committee to see if this work could be offered to all young people in South Tyneside involving other practices as well as theirs.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Carry out regular comprehensive infection control audits.

• Produce a consent policy which complies with the guidance from The General Medical Council.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice