Archived: Weelsby View Health Centre - Drs Chalmers and Meier

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Weelsby View Health Centre, Drs Chalmers and Meier on 19 May 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.

• Risks to patients were generally assessed and managed, with the exception of those relating to employment checks undertaken on clinical staff.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had 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 involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• 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.
• The practice had policies and procedures to govern activity.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The area where the provider must make improvement is:

• To ensure that all necessary employment checks, or in the absence of an employment check a risk assessment to support the decision, should be undertaken on all clinical staff.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• To ensure that information for patients, in practice leaflets and on the website, on how they can access services is accurate, consistent and comprehensive. For example including details of the times that late appointments were available on a Monday evening.

• To ensure that a Patient Participation Group is established.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice