We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The James Street Family Practice on 7 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

We had inspected this practice on one previous occasion on 21 October 2014 when it found to be good in all key questions and population groups.

Our judgement of the quality of care at this service is based on a combination of what we found when we inspected, information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

I have rated this practice as good overall. It is rated as good in all of the population groups.

This means that:

• People were protected from avoidable harm and abuse and that legal requirements were met.
• Patients had good outcomes because they received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• Patients were supported, treated with dignity and respect and were involved as partners in their care.
• People’s needs were met by the way in which services were organised and delivered.
• The leadership, governance and culture of the practice promoted the delivery of high quality person-centred care.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Ensure that the revised protocol for the review of patients in receipt of repeat prescriptions was implemented and adhered to.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

The James Street Family Practice offers a range of primary medical services from their surgery at 49, James Street, Louth.

We carried out an announced inspection on 21 October 2014 as part of our new comprehensive inspection programme.

During the inspection we spoke with patients that used the practice and met with a member of the patient participation (PPG). A PPG is a group of patients who have volunteered to represent patients' views and concerns and are seen as an effective way for patients and GP surgeries to work together to improve services and to promote health and improved quality of care. We also reviewed comments cards that had been provided by CQC on which patients could record their views.

The overall rating for this practice is good. We also found the practice to be good in the safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led domains. We found the practice was also good in the care they provided to the population groups of older people, people with long term conditions, working age people, people experiencing poor mental health and people in vulnerable circumstances.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had systems in place to manage and review risks to vulnerable children, young people and adults. Staff were knowledgeable and we saw examples where risks to children had been identified and appropriate referrals and follow ups had taken place.

• The practice was committed to monitoring and improving outcomes for patients and had an effective and proactive system in place to support patients with end of life care. Continuity of care was maintained for end of life patients by having two named GPs.

• Patients we spoke with and comments we reviewed reflected that they received an excellent service and praised staff, describing them as compassionate, efficient, helpful and caring. They said staff treated them with dignity and respect.

• The practice operated a responsive appointment system called ‘Dr First’. Patients were able to choose which GP they wanted to speak to and would receive a call back from the GP who assessed and prioritised patients’ needs and appropriate appointment length.

• There was clear leadership with all staff being aware of their role and responsibilities. There was a strong team ethos and staff felt well supported and valued.

We saw areas of outstanding practice including:

• The practice was proactive in taking part in delivering a programme of sexual health education in local schools.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice