Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Werneth Medical Practice on 13 October 2017. 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The practice had systems to minimise risks to patient safety but some of these required review.
• Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Results from the national GP patient survey were below average, but we saw during the inspection that patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
• Information about services and how to complain was available.
• Patients we spoke with said they usually found it easy to make an appointment with a GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• 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 the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

• The provider must ensure safe care and treatment is provided. This includes carrying out all necessary checks, such as for legionella and other appropriate items, ensuring all medicines and toxic substances are kept securely, displaying hazard signs in appropriate places, and checking there are control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) assessments for all required substances.

In addition the provider should:

• Check the cleaning schedule contains full guidance of items to be cleaned.

• Have an explanation of gaps in potential staff members’ employment history and ask for reasons past employment ended.

• Work towards increasing the number of patients recorded as being carers, and look at further support for carers that could be offered.

• Put in place an action plan following patient surveys.

• Consider having oxygen masks for children.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We first carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Werneth Medical Practice on 13 October 2017. Overall the practice was rated as good. The domain of safe was rated as requires improvement as improvements were required regarding safe care and treatment. The previous inspection report can be found by accessing the ‘all reports’ link for Werneth Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 27 March 2018. This inspection was to check the areas where the provider must or should make improvements had been actioned. At this inspection we found:

• All the required safety checks were being carried out and comprehensive safety assessments were in place.

• Recruitment processes had been strengthened so all relevant information was available.

• Oxygen masks for children had been purchased.

• Plans were in place to formalise an action plan following the GP patient surveys.

• The cleaning schedule had been updated.

• The practice had taken steps to identify more patients who were carers.

The practice is now rated good in the safe domain.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice