Archived: Stroud Green Medical Clinic

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Stroud Green Medical Centre on 23 September 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

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 not always assessed and well managed for example there was no system to monitor uncollected prescriptions.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had not always been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were generally 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 said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a leadership structure and staff felt supported by management although there were gaps in the clinical governance arrangements regarding safety and monitoring quality and audits were not used to drive improvements. The practice 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.

The areas where the provider must make improvement are:

• Review induction process to include infection prevention and control and governance.

• Develop the governance structure to support the delivery of good practice and quality care.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Consider how to record near misses.

• Develop an effective system to monitor prescriptions issued but not redeemed.

• Ensure PSDs are available to support healthcare assistants in their role.

• Ensure recruitment checks are consistent and complete for all staff.

• Develop and formalise the strategy and business plan for the practice to reflect the vision and values and to monitor improvements.

• Continue to develop the PPG to support patient participation and feedback.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice