Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
Abbey Wood Surgery, located in the London Borough of Greenwich in south-east London, provides a general practice service to around 8,000 patients.
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 2 December 2014. The inspection took place over one day and was undertaken by a lead inspector, along with a GP specialist advisor, a specialist advisor with a background in practice management and an Expert by Experience. We looked at care records, and spoke with patients and staff including the management team.
Overall the practice is rated as Good.
Our key findings were as follows:
• The service is safe. There were systems in place for reporting, recording and monitoring significant events to help provide improved care. Staff were clear of their roles in regards to monitoring and reporting of incidents, safeguarding vulnerable people and children, and following infection prevention and control guidelines.
• The service is effective. The GPs shared good practice through internal arrangements and meetings and also by sharing knowledge and expertise with others. There was a multidisciplinary input in the service delivery to improve patient outcomes.
• The service is caring. Feedback from patients about their care and treatment via the national and practice-run surveys was positive. Patients were treated with kindness and respect and felt involved in their care decisions. Almost all the comment cards completed by patients who used the service in the two weeks prior to our inspection visit had positive comments about the care and service provided by the surgery.
• The service is responsive to people’s needs. The practice worked as far as possible with the patients and the Patient Participation Group (PPG) to improve the service. The practice was responsive to the needs of vulnerable patients and there was a focus on caring and on the provision of patient-centred care. Information on health promotion and prevention, on the services provided by the practice and on the support existing in the community was available for patients.
• The service is well-led. The practice had a clear strategic direction and was well-led by the GPs. Staff were suitably supported and patient care and safety was a high priority.
All the population groups including older people; people with long term conditions; mothers, babies, children and young people; the working age populations and those recently retired; people in vulnerable circumstances and people experiencing poor mental health received care that was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
The provider should:
- Ensure the governance arrangements and responsibilities are more equitably shared amongst clinical and managerial staff.
- Ensure the practice website and leaflets in the reception area provide better information around mental health issues and emotional support.
- Ensure the automated check-in machine in the reception area provides options in multiple languages to better support the diverse community of the area.
- Ensure the online appointment system works more effectively and efficiently.
- Ensure the current system of recording referrals is standardised across the practice and provides a clear audit trail of actions taken and follow up.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice