Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Wickhambrook Surgery on 6 June 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. The full comprehensive report on the June 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Wickhambrook Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was a desk-based review carried out on 20 February 2017 to confirm that the practice had addressed concerns identified at our previous inspection on 6 June 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to improvements made since our last inspection.

In June we identified that the practice needed to improve in the following areas:

• Review and implement processes relating to consumable expiry date checks.

In June, we also found areas where improvements should be made:

• Review actions put in place after significant events.
• Regularly review fire safety arrangements.
• Review the cleaning schedule to ensure all relevant areas of the practice are included.
• Ensure staff are up to date with infection control training.
• Monitor the recently introduced system to track prescription pads to ensure it remains effective.
• Ensure robust process for completing recruitment checks prior to employment of locum GPs.

The practice provided evidence of work they had undertaken to deliver improvemenets. The practice had decided to organise an external review of their fire safety and had attempted to arrange a schedule of deep cleaning with an external company. This was ongoing at the time of this inspection.

The areas where the provider should still make improvements are:

• Ensure that evidence of fire safety checks are maintained.
• Review the cleaning schedule to ensure all relevant areas of the practice are included.

The practice is now rated as good for providing safe services.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Wickhambrook Surgery on 6 June 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 although actions put in place in response to significant events were not always reviewed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and managed although improvement was required with regards to fire drills and equipment checks, infection control training, recruitment checks relating to locum GPs, and cleaning processes.
• 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.
• Feedback from patients about their care was positive. Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Data from the most recent National GP Patient Survey showed that patients rated the practice higher than others for several aspects of care.
• 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 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.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

• Review and implement processes relating to consumable expiry date checks.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review actions put in place after significant events.

• Regularly review fire safety arrangements.

• Review the cleaning schedule to ensure all relevant areas of the practice are included.

• Ensure staff are up to date with infection control training.

• Monitor the recently introduced system to track prescription pads to ensure it remains effective.

• Ensure robust process for completing recruitment checks prior to employment of locum GPs.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice