Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Loughton Surgery on 8 September 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding safety, and reporting and recording of significant events. There were policies and procedures in place to support this.
• The practice assessed most risks to patients and staff. There were systems in place to manage most of these. However improvements as a result of an infection control audit had not been acted on.
• Patient and medicines safety alerts were received at the practice reviewed and appropriate action taken as required.
• The practice had identified a low number of carers.
• Patients’ care and treatment was assessed and delivered based on the current evidence based guidance.
• Staff received appropriate training to provide them with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to fulfil their role. They had access to further role specific training if appropriate.
• Patients said they felt the practice offered an excellent service and staff were helpful, caring and treated them with dignity and respect.
• Performance data from 2015 to 2016 show that the practice were in line with the CCG and national averages for most indicators, this demonstrated an improvement from the previous year. However exception reporting in some areas was much higher than the local and national averages.
• Information about how to complain was available for patients both online and in the practice building itself. Complaints investigations and documentation showed that improvements were made to the quality of service provision.
• The practice undertook quality improvement activities to identify where services might be developed.
• The GP survey, published in July 2016, showed the practice performance for access to services was higher than the CCG and national averages.
• The practice facilities met the needs of its patient population.
• There was a clear management structure and staff told us they felt supported and involved in the development of the practice.
• The culture of the practice was open and honest, and the practice complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
• Consideration had been given to the needs of the patient population needs when planning the redevelopment of the practice site.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure that areas for improvement as a result of infection control audits are acted on in a timely manner.
• Improve the identification of carers and the support offered to this group.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice