Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Maples on 25 May 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 the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• 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.
• 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.

We saw several areas of outstanding practice including:

• The Maples has a higher than average rate of childhood obesity and had taken a leading role in developing a pathway for managing families affected by childhood obesity. The services provided to parents and children included cookery lessons, behaviour support and advice and family activity programmes which took place at local children’s and sports centres.
• The Nurse Practitioners had led a family health project and delivered sessions on self-management of minor ailments at local children’s centres.

The area where the provider should make improvement is:

• Ensure that verbal complaints are recorded and reviewed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice