Archived: Lintonville Medical Group

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the Lintonville Medical Group on 14 April 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 highly effective system for reporting and recording significant events. The staff team took the opportunity to learn from all internal and external incidents.

• Risks to patients and staff were assessed and well managed.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. They had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

• The practice worked closely with other organisations, when planning how services were provided, to ensure patients’ needs were met.

• Patients’ emotional and social needs were seen as being as important as their physical needs, and there was a strong, visible, person-centred culture. Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and that they were involved in decisions about their treatment.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• Services were tailored to meet the needs of individual patients and were delivered in a way that ensured flexibility, choice and continuity of care. All staff were actively engaged in monitoring and improving quality and patient outcomes. Staff were highly committed to supporting patients to live healthier lives through a targeted and proactive approach to health promotion.

• The leadership, governance and management of the practice assured the delivery of good quality person-centred care, supported learning, and promoted an open and fair culture. Staff had a clear vision and strategy for the development of the practice and they had invested in the practice doing well.

However, there were also areas where the provider needs to make improvements. The provider should:

• Continue to review and improve the practice’s telephone access and appointment system.

• Provide those nursing staff who are prescribers with regular and appropriate clinical supervision.

• Keep a written record of any fire drills that take place.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice