Dr Leszek Piechowski and Partners Also known as Dryland Medical Centre

Updated 9 March 2018

Dr Leszek Piechowski and Partners provides a range of primary medical services from its premises at Dryland Medical Centre, 1 Field Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 8JZ.

The practice population is predominantly white British with an above average number of patients aged from 45 to 54 years and 65 years and over. There is a lower than average number of patients aged from 0 to 4 years and 15 to 39 years. National data indicates the area is slightly less deprived compared to England as a whole. The practice has approximately 10,950 patients with services provided under a nationally agreed general medical services (GMS) contract.

There are one female and three male GP partners and they employ two female salaried GPs. The nursing team consists of three advanced nurse practitioners, one treatment room nurse manager, two practice nurses, two treatment room nurses and one healthcare assistant, all female. There are a number of secretarial, administration and reception staff and three domestic staff all led by the practice manager.

The practice is open from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and offers extended opening hours every Saturday from 8am to 11.30am for GP pre-bookable appointments.

When the practice is closed out of hours services are provided by Integrated Care 24 Limited and can be accessed via the NHS 111 service.

Updated 9 March 2018

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Leszek Piechowski and Partners on 7 June 2017. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the June 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr Leszek Piechowski and Partners on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 14 February 2018 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 7 June 2017. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

The provider had resolved the concerns for safe and well-led services identified at our inspection on 7 June 2017 which applied to everyone using this practice, including the population groups. The population group ratings have been updated to reflect this. Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• A process was in place to record and monitor the collection of controlled drugs prescriptions.
• There was a clinical supervision policy and a process to ensure all staff received an annual appraisal. Personal development and training plans were in place for all staff members. With the exception of the practice manager all staff had received an annual appraisal.
• Patient engagement was via a virtual Patient Participation Group (vPPG). Communication with the group had been strengthened since the last inspection. The practice now responded to feedback received indirectly, for example, via the NHS Choices website.

Additionally where we previously told the practice they should make improvements our key findings were as follows:

• Thermostatic mixer valves had been fitted to the hand wash facilities in the patient toilets. This ensured the water remained within a set temperature to avoid the risk of scalding.
• Hot water temperature checks were all within recommended levels to mitigate the risk of Legionella in the water system.
• A fire drill had been completed and future drills were scheduled. There was recorded evidence of the drill and actions had been taken following feedback from the staff members involved.
• All clinical staff had completed Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) training.
• The practice completed an audit of all deceased patients that included whether the patient had been on the palliative care register and the condition that had led to their death. However, this did not include whether the patient had died in their preferred place of death.
• Health promotion information and leaflets were available in the patient waiting areas. A prototype of the new practice website showed that it would include health information and links to external sites such as NHS Choices, counselling and well-being services.
• Ten appointments per week were made available to complete new patient and NHS health checks for people aged 40 to 74 years of age. Since the inspection in June 2017 338 NHS health checks had been completed. The practice had run three flu clinics that were held on Saturdays and were open access for all eligible patients to attend. These were advertised to patients on the practice website, in the patient waiting area and on repeat prescriptions. Any eligible patients that had not attended the flu clinics were contacted and offered an alternative date to receive their vaccination.
• Carers were supported in the practice by an identified carers lead. There was a carer’s noticeboard with useful information regarding support available in the patient waiting area. The practice informed us that information for carers was also made available at the designated flu clinics. The carers lead had introduced carer’s packs that could be taken away. They contained information on referrals to Northamptonshire Carers and of local drop in cafes and the contact details of the carers lead including telephone number and email address. The practice had identified 127 patients who were carers which equated to approximately 1.2% of the practice list.
• A new baby changing unit had been fitted. This had a wipe clean surface and straps to secure babies when in use.
• The practice policies and procedures were in hard copy format and available to all staff in the reception area of the practice. Pertinent information that may be required by staff such as contact numbers for local authority safeguarding leads and flow charts for what to do in case of a needle stick injury were available in the clinical rooms.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly, the provider should:

• Complete the appraisal for the practice manager.
• Consider including whether a patient has died in their preferred place of death as part of the audit of deceased patients.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 9 March 2018

Updated 9 March 2018

Updated 9 March 2018

Updated 9 March 2018

Updated 9 March 2018

Updated 9 March 2018