Archived: The Molebridge Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Molebridge Practice on 30 November 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 been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients we spoke with told us 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 were able to access appointments at both of the practices’ locations and there were extended hours appointments on Wednesday and Friday Mornings from 7.30-8am and Thursday evenings until 7pm.
• The practice participated in a locality initiative which enabled patients to access appointments from 6.30pm to 9.30pm Monday to Friday and from 9.30am to 1.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays at three different locations (Epsom, Leatherhead and from Tadworth Medical Centre).
• Patients were able to access urgent appointments on the same day. However, patients rated the practice below average for several aspects of their ability to access services.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• The practice website held a wealth of information in supporting patients with long term conditions and had links to various support groups. The website also had video links including ‘how to take a blood glucose test’ and ‘what is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease'.
• The practice reviewed the healthcare of patients in three local learning disability homes and made weekly visits to one residential facility which cared for patients with physical and learning disabilities and acquired brain injuries.
• 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.
• All staff were trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

• Continue to monitor the national patient survey results and ensure that where possible measures are put in place to secure improvements where scores are below average.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review access for those patients who use wheelchairs and patients who have a hearing impairment.
• Review risk assessments for clinical staff starting before a Disclosure and Barring Service check has been completed.
• Continue to record / monitor dates for nurses registration with the NMC.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice