Archived: Lister House Surgery Wiveliscombe

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

Following our comprehensive inspection of the practice on 11 July 2017 the service was rated as requires improvement for effective and good for safe, caring, responsive and well-led services. We rated the service as good overall. We issued a requirement notice in regards to Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, Staffing.

This focused follow up inspection was undertaken on the 18 October 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements that we identified in our previous inspection. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

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

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice demonstrated they were driving quality improvement in patient outcomes.

• There was enough clinical staff to keep patients safe and deliver effective care and treatment.

• Systems and processes such as safer recruitment, infection, prevention and control measures and the handling, storing and security of medicines were in place to keep patients safe.

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 Lister House Surgery Wiveliscombe on 11 July 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 clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to DBS checks.
• 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 (July 2017) showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients we spoke with said they did not always find it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was not always continuity of care. Urgent appointments were 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 the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Maintain an on-going infection prevention control action plan and produce an annual statement.
• Embed clinical audits and re-audits to improve patient outcomes and ensure all audits contain a measurable action plan where required.
• Review the handling, storing and security of medicines at the branch surgery. For example, transportation of controlled medicines and blank prescription management systems.
• Implement the necessary changes to the updated recruitment arrangements to include all necessary employment checks such as DBS checks for all staff.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

Ensure sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced persons are deployed to meet the fundamental standards of care and treatment such as provision of a sufficient number of GP appointments during core practice hours.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice