Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the Saluja Clinic on 15 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.
• There were mixed findings from the national GP patient survey and the practice's own feedback exercises. Patients who participated in the inspection consistently said they were treated with compassion 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.
• The practice received mixed patient feedback about the ease of making an appointment. Urgent appointments were available the same day and non urgent appointments were available in around a week. The practice had taken action to improve the patient experience of making an appointment and access to the service.
• 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:

• The practice should review its exception reporting rates for cervical screening which are relatively high and investigate whether it could do more to reduce these.
• The practice should actively encourage eligible patients to attend for breast and bowel screening.
• The practice should improve the use of clinical audit to drive improvement and investigate topics of particular relevance to the practice.
• The practice should take steps to reduce the risk of the vaccines fridge being accidentally unplugged.
• The practice should continue to explore ways to improve patient satisfaction with the service and access to the service.
• The practice should review the sustainability of its current staffing structure and work patterns.
• The practice should actively seek to increase the number of identified carers to ensure they have access to appropriate support.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice