Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Derby Road Practice on 23 August 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.

• 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. However, there was scope to improve the practice oversight of staff training.
• 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 generally 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 and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure that carers continue to be identified.
• Ensure that there is an effective system in place to oversee the completion and recording of staff training.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We visited The Derby Road Practice and the branch surgery, Pinewood Surgery as part of our inspection.

We spoke with six people all of whom confirmed their privacy and dignity was maintained and said they had been involved in decisions about their care and treatment. One person told us, “I am given the option of a chaperone. They close the curtains and close the doors.” Another person said, “They (nurse) make things clear. They never make me feel like a nuisance and they listen to me.” One of the clinicians we spoke with said, “We jointly decide on actions.”

We found that people’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual needs. One person told us, “The care is excellent. This surgery is second to none.” One person said, “I have asthma and am reviewed every year and during the year when needed. They are very in-depth when I have a check-up.”

There was an induction process and staff were supported to attend courses applicable to their role. We looked at two staff files and found evidence of annual appraisals. One member of staff provided positive feedback about the new appraisal paperwork and said, “It was far more in depth.”

There were effective systems in place to manage the risks to the health, safety and welfare of people who used the service and others. These included health and safety risk assessments and checks, and testing and maintenance of fire equipment and extinguishers.