Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Woodland Drive Medical Centre on 18 January 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 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that 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 three areas of outstanding practice:

• Patients told us that the nurse would arrive at work early to see a patient who required regular treatment but could not attend during normal nurse appointment times.

• The nurse reviewed all unplanned hospital admissions and identified those who attended on multiple occasions. These patients were then sent an appointment to discuss any health or social needs with the nurse and she would work closely with the GP, community matrons and other members of the multidisciplinary team with the aim to reduce hospital attendance. We saw evidence of a reduction in unplanned hospital attendance and one patient had not had to attend hospital for six months since this support was implemented.

• We were also told that practice staff noticed an elderly patient becoming increasingly unkempt. A member of staff suggested they make him an appointment, he agreed and from this, support was made available through social services. We were told this had made a difference to the patient and his family.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice