Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a focused desktop inspection of The Apples Medical Centre on 2 August 2016 to assess whether the practice had made the improvements in providing safe care and services.

We had previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Apples Medical Centre on 27 August 2015 when we rated the practice as good overall. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe care. This was because a risk assessment for the control and prevention of Legionella had not been completed.

We asked the provider to send a report of the improvements they would make to comply with the regulations they were not meeting at that time. The practice is now able to demonstrate that they are meeting the regulations. The practice is now rated as good for providing safe care and the overall rating remains as good.

This report should be read in conjunction with the full inspection report dated 5 November 2016.

Our key finding across the area we inspected was as follows:

• The practice had an assessment to determine the risk from infection from Legionella and had taken action to ensure effective and safe water systems.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Apples Medical Centre on 27 August 2015.

Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned for.
• 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 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.
• 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.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly the provider must :

Ensure that risk assessments in relation to Legionella have been completed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a focused desktop inspection of The Apples Medical Centre on 2 August 2016 to assess whether the practice had made the improvements in providing safe care and services.

We had previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Apples Medical Centre on 27 August 2015 when we rated the practice as good overall. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe care. This was because a risk assessment for the control and prevention of Legionella had not been completed.

We asked the provider to send a report of the improvements they would make to comply with the regulations they were not meeting at that time. The practice is now able to demonstrate that they are meeting the regulations. The practice is now rated as good for providing safe care and the overall rating remains as good.

This report should be read in conjunction with the full inspection report dated 5 November 2016.

Our key finding across the area we inspected was as follows:

• The practice had an assessment to determine the risk from infection from Legionella and had taken action to ensure effective and safe water systems.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice