Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Tudor Surgery on 17 February 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 were positive about the standard of care they received and about staff behaviours. They said staff were supportive and caring and that their privacy and dignity was respected.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients gave a mixed response about access to the practice and appointments. However, all patients were positive about access to urgent appointments available the same day.
• 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 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 improvements are:

• Ensure that all staff employed are supported by a formal induction process, are receiving appropriate supervision and appraisal and completing the essential training relevant to their roles. This includes infection control, health and safety and fire safety.
• Ensure the plans of action in place to resolve issues identified by the health and safety and fire safety risk assessments are fully completed.
• Ensure a robust process is in place to update and renew Disclosure and Barring Service checks (DBS checks) on staff or for the practice to assure itself that accepting dated checks on its staff from their previous employers does not put its patients at risk.
• Take steps to improve access to routine pre-bookable appointments and access to the practice by telephone.
• Take steps to ensure that in future National GP Patient Surveys the practice’s areas of below local and national average performance are improved.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice