Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the Brimington Surgery on 12 April 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- There was an active patient participation group which influenced practice developments. For example, introducing practice nurse appointments into the weekly extended hours’ surgery.
- Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, although the practice had not been formally assessed for the control and management of legionella on site.
We saw two areas of outstanding practice:
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Brimington Surgery was the first GP practice in Chesterfield to receive the Derbyshire Dignity Campaign Award in February 2016, an initiative developed by the local County Council and CCG. This reflected the passion within the practice team to provide high quality care to their patients. The practice ensured this was maintained by reviewing one of the ten action points within the award in turn at each monthly staff meeting to review what they were doing, and agree what might be done to enhance this even further. We observed a strong and visible patient-centred culture in which staff were motivated and inspired to offer personalised care that promoted people’s dignity.
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A ‘Village Friends Group’ had been established by the practice with support from their community matron, to support those patients who were bereaved. This had expanded to include patients who were socially isolated and also to include patients from other local GP practices. Activities including lunch clubs and theatre trips took place which provided an opportunity for social interaction and promoted a strong sense of local community.
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice