Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sheffield University Health Centre on 4 November 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.
• 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with 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 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 areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice used proactive methods to engage with students, for example the ShefUniHealth Smartphone App and a Student Blog was available to improve health outcomes.
• The practice had developed an active health promotion strategy to improve the mental health, sexual health and travel health service of students through their Healthy Campus Project. We spoke to students who highly commended these services.
• The practice provided enhanced services to students with mental health needs for example, support packages and well being services, an eating disorder service, suicide safety plans and in-house psychologists.
• The practice encouraged a culture of practice learning to engage with minority groups such as those living with gender dysphoria and international students.
• The practice was working with other local providers such as the the Student Health and Wellbeing Partnership and in collaboration with a neighbouring practice with a high student population to develop and share best practice.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Create a register of carer’s

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice