This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating 01/2015 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Requires improvement

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive at The Surgery on 8 August 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice had some systems for appropriate and safe handling of medicines. However, improvements in managing patients taking some high-risk medicines and monitoring uncollected repeat prescriptions were required.
• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use, although some working age patients reported difficulties accessing care when they needed it.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider must make improvements as they are in breach of regulations are:

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review and improve the system for managing safety alerts.
• Improve reception staff training for their role as chaperones and in the management of patients with severe infections.
• Take action to improve the auditing of infection prevention and control.
• Implement continuous clinical audit to assess and monitor the quality of care and outcomes for patients.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.