- GP practice
East Bridgford Medical Centre Also known as Drs Scaffardi, Stewart & Cope
All Inspections
6 May 2016
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
On 25 August 2015, we carried out a comprehensive inspection of East Bridgford Medical Centre. The practice was rated as requires improvement overall and rated as inadequate for providing safe services, good for effective, caring and responsive services and requires improvement for well led services.
As a result of the findings on the day of the inspection the practice was issued with requirement notices for regulation 12 (Safe care and Treatment) and regulation 18 (Staffing).
Specifically we found that
There were systems and processes that were not sufficiently robust to ensure that patients were kept safe from harm. The storage and management of medicines did not meet the required standards and some staff had not received appropriate training to fulfil their role.
The practice sent us an action plan that outlined the steps they were taking to improve and we then carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of East Bridgford Medical Centre on 6 May 2016.
We undertook this inspection to check that they had followed their action plan to address the shortfalls and to confirm that they now met legal requirements.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
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Improvements had been made that addressed the findings of our inspection on 25 August 2015. These included the proper and safe management of medicines, doing all that is reasonably practicable to mitigate any risks, and ensuring that staff received appropriate support and training.
- The appointment system was flexible and ensured that patients who requested to be seen on the same day were able to obtain an appointment.
- The practice had good facilities including access for those with limited mobility. A hearing loop was available for those patients who needed it. Patients that were particularly unwell were asked to wait in areas where reception staff could observe them, in case their condition changed.
- Information about the services and how to complain was available. The practice sought patient views about improvements that could be made to the service and some of these discussions occurred through the patient participation group (PPG).
- The practice proactively managed care plans for vulnerable patients and had effective management strategies for patients at the end of their life. This enabled 78% of patients to die in their preferred place of care.
- There were systems, policies and procedures to keep patients safe and to govern activity for example, infection control.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice
25 August 2015
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at East Bridgford Medical Centre on 25 August 2015. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.
Specifically, we found the practice good for providing effective, caring, and responsive services. It was rated as inadequate for providing safe services and requires improvement for being well led.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows
- There were weaknesses in the system to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was not recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed, and addressed.
- Risks to patients were not always assessed and well managed, in particular the management and storage of medicines was not sufficient to ensure that patients were safe from harm.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned, however, the training plans for new staff in the dispensary needed to be strengthened.
- Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity, and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
- Information about services offered and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
- Patients told us they could make an appointment with a named GP and that 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.
- There was a leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
Importantly the provider must
- Strengthen the system to ensure that information received from safety alerts is managed, monitored and learning shared.
- Strengthen the system that would ensure that learning from significant events, near misses and complaints was recorded, learning shared and improvements made in a timely manner
- Improve the management of medicines to ensure that patients are safe from harm. This must include robust and regular monitoring of stock levels, expiry dates and monitoring of fridge temperatures. The provider must ensure that staff investigate and report when the temperature recording are not within the correct range.
- Ensure that new staff are fully and appropriately trained to fulfil their role.
- Ensure that the storage and management of Schedule 3 drugs is consistent.
In addition the provider should
- Improve the assessment, monitoring, and mitigation of risks in the practice.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice