Archived: Coleford Family Doctors Also known as Coleford Health Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection September 2016 – Good)

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:

Older People – Good

People with long-term conditions – Good

Families, children and young people – Good

Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Coleford Family Doctors on 23 January 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.

• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

• The practice held regular meetings to discuss complex cases and safeguarding issues.

• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

We saw an area of outstanding practice:

• The practice was proactive in identifying patients at risk of diabetes. Patients at increased risk were offered a blood test to measure their average glucose levels every 12 months. They were also offered to attend a group session with one of the practice nurses who led on diabetes, for advice on healthy lifestyle and diet. This meant that the practice was not only able to proactively reduce the numbers of patients developing diabetes but offer appropriate management at the outset of the disease for those who were diagnosed with diabetes.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review and improve systems and processes in relation to the monitoring of the vaccine fridge temperature.

• Review the process for consent forms so they are in line with the most up to date guidelines.

• Identify and implement actions to improve patients’ experience.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice