Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Winshill Medical Centre on 31 August 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Staff understood their responsibilities to raise concerns and to report incidents and near misses. The practice had a formal system in place for the ongoing monitoring of significant events, incidents and accidents.
• Some arrangements were in place to ensure that risks to patients were assessed and managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
• The practice had a programme of continuous clinical and internal audit in order to monitor quality and make improvements.
• The practice invested in staff development and training.
• 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 the 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.

There were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• Explore how the practice could proactively identify more patients who also acted as carers.

• Consider audits to ensure that nationally recognised guidelines for clinical care are being followed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice