Dr Christopher Steere Also known as Neston Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Christopher Steere, also known as Neston Medical Centre on 20 September 2016.

Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There were systems in place to reduce risks to patient safety, for example, infection control procedures, medication management and the management of staffing levels. Evidence that the electric wiring installation for the premises was safe was not in place. Improvements were also needed to the management of health and safety at the premises.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Staff had received training in safeguarding vulnerable adults and children and there were clear written procedures for safeguarding patients from the risk of abuse.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.

• Staff told us they felt well supported. Improvements should be made to the systems for identifying and recording staff training. Work was in progress to ensure all staff received an annual appraisal.

• Patients were positive about the care and treatment they received from the practice. The National Patient Survey July 2016 showed that patients’ responses about whether they were treated with respect, compassion and involved in decisions about their care and treatment were comparable to local and national averages.

• Services were planned and delivered to take into account the needs of different patient groups.

• The National GP Patient Survey results showed that patient’s satisfaction with access to care and treatment was in line with local and national averages.

• Information about how to complain was available. There was a system in place to manage complaints.

• There were systems in place to monitor and improve quality and identify risk.

However there were areas of practice where the provider must make improvements:

• The provider must ensure the premises are safely maintained. Evidence of a satisfactory electrical wiring inspection, up to date fire risk assessment and risk assessment of the premises needs to be made available

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Put in place a formal process for reviewing significant events to demonstrate that actions identified have been effective.

• Review the system for ensuring staff understand how to identify child and adult safeguarding concerns.

• Maintain recruitment records that demonstrate that persons employed are able by reason of their health (after reasonable adjustments) to perform the tasks for which they are employed.

• Keep a record to demonstrate that cleaning standards are being maintained.
• The system for identifying staff training needs and completion of training should be improved.
• All staff should receive a formally documented annual appraisal.
• An annual review of complaints should be undertaken and the contact details of the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman should be included in correspondence sent to complainants.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice