Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Warden Lodge Medical Practice on 4 October 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 were aware of their responsibilities in helping to safeguard and protect patients.

• 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.
• This is a training practice with two GPs qualified as trainers.
• The practice worked closely with multidisciplinary teams, including community and social services to plan and implement care for their patients.
• The practice held regular staff and clinical meetings where learning was shared from incidents and complaints.
• The practice were part of the Home First project ensuring that patients could remain at home whilst receiving a multidisciplinary package of care.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The practice’s computer system alerted GPs if a patient was also a carer. The practice had identified 309 patients as carers, approximately 2.8% of the practice population.
• 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 offered extended hours appointments.
• 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 practice had a well-established patient participation group.
• There was an ongoing involvement with pilot project in the locality.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The one area where the provider should make improvement is:

• Ensure continued analysis of data and exception reporting processes and continue to monitor patient recall systems.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice