Wallis Avenue

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Wallis Avenue (also known as Wallis Avenue Surgery) on 6 and 11 May 2015. The inspection was carried out over two days as there was insufficient time to establish enough information in one day. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing caring and responsive services. It required improvement for providing safe, effective and well-led services which has led to this rating being applied to all patient population groups; older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

Our key findings were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed but not always addressed.
• Not all risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Patient’s needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current legislation. Staff had received some training appropriate to their roles. However, not all training needs had been identified and planned.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment. Information to help patients understand the services available was easy to understand. Staff treated patients with kindness and respect, and maintained confidentiality.
• Patients said they experienced few difficulties when making appointments and urgent appointments were available the same day.
• There was a leadership structure but not all staff felt supported by management. The practice took into account the views of patients and those close to them as well as engaging with staff when planning and delivering services.

However, there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly the provider must;

• Ensure all staff are up to date with relevant training and trained to the appropriate level.
• Review infection control management to ensure all areas of the practice are clean and comply with national infection control guidance.
• Review risk assessment activity to include all risks to patients.
• Review the accuracy and reliability of systems used to measure performance including the completion of clinical audit cycles.
• Revise its governance processes and ensure that all documents used to govern activity are up to date and followed in practice.

The provider should also;

• Review medicines management records.
• Review information about the practice and ensure it is accessible to all patients when the practice is closed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice