Archived: Dr Erode Ganapathi Also known as Dr EN Ganapathi

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Erode Ganapathi (known locally as Chapel End Surgery) on 16 August 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Patients told us they said they were treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Patients were involved decisions about their care and treatment.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care delivered in line with current guidelines. Staff had the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Urgent same day patient appointments were available when needed. Patients we spoke with and those who completed comment cards before our inspection said they were always able to obtain same day appointments.
• The practice had a number of policies and procedures to govern activity, but some needed more detail. For example, outlining responsibilities regarding sharing resources with the other GP practice located in the building and succession planning for the GP.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand. The practice received very few complaints from patients and reviewed complaints to ensure lessons were learned and mistakes not repeated.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• The practice carried out clinical audits to measure performance and improve outcomes for patients; however a more detailed plan for future clinical audits was needed.

• The practice had little evidence of any participation in local audits and local benchmarking.

• There were clearly defined processes and procedures to ensure patients were safe and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events. They were fully reviewed at staff meetings.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Document responsibilities regarding sharing resources with the other GP practice located in the building. This should include which resources will be shared, times they will be shared (for example permanently or during staff absence) and define line management responsibility and accountability.

• Consider the provision of female GP sessions when recruitment or future locum cover is needed.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice