The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

The Leiston Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Main Street, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4ES (01728) 830526

Provided and run by:
The Leiston Surgery

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Leiston Surgery on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about The Leiston Surgery, you can give feedback on this service.

7/10/2019

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an inspection of The Leiston Surgery on 7 October 2019. This was due to the length of time since the last inspection. Following our review of the information available to us, including information provided by the practice, we focused our inspection on the following key questions:

  • Are services safe, effective and well led?

Because of the assurance received from our review of information we carried forward the ratings for the following key questions:

  • Are services caring and responsive?

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found when we inspected

• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and

• information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

  • Protocols for handling investigating and reviewing dispensing errors including dispensary near misses were in place.
  • Chaperones had a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
  • There were effective arrangements for the safe and secure transport of medicines to and from the branch site.
  • Arrangements were in place to monitor blank prescription stationery.
  • Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
  • Feedback from patients and care home representatives was positive about the friendliness and helpfulness of all staff at the practice.
  • Clinical staff gave patients time to be involved in their care and treatment decisions.
  • The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care, with a focus on education and learning.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Continue to ensure that the policy for checking the return of all cervical screening results sent for testing is implemented and reviewed, for assurance that a failsafe system is embedded across the practice.
  • Review the current recruitment policy to be assured of appropriate governance in relation to references.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

29 October 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Leiston Surgery on 29 October 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

We found the practice to be safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led. The quality of care experienced by older people, by people with long term conditions and by families, children and young people is good. Working age people, those in vulnerable circumstances and people experiencing poor mental health also receive good quality care.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows;

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed, and addressed.
  • 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.
  • 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 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 clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

  • The practice’s branch surgery provided a specialist assessment, diagnosis and early intervention centre for patients with suspected and/or a mild to moderate dementia in a local and friendlier, less clinical environment.

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

Importantly the provider should;

  • Ensure that staff that undertake chaperone duties have received a disclosure and barring check (DBS) or have a written risk assessment completed.
  • Ensure there are protocols in place for the handling, analysis, audit and review of dispensing errors. Which includes formalising recording and discussion at the quarterly dispensing team meetings. In addition ensure near-miss dispensing errors were recorded so that trends of these errors could be monitored and actions taken where necessary.
  • Improve the arrangements to track blank prescription forms through the practice in accordance with national guidance.
  • Improve the security of medicines being transported from the dispensary to the practice’s branch surgery.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

3 October 2013

During a routine inspection

During our inspection on 3 October 2013, we found the service to be welcoming with friendly staff. We saw that on arrival at the service people could speak to reception staff or use the touch in booking screen. People told us staff treated them respectfully and were helpful.

We looked at a number of people's electronic records. We saw evidence that verbal consent had been obtained before examinations or procedures had occurred. People told us that their treatment was clearly explained to them and they were able to ask questions and make choices about their treatment or medication. This enabled people to make informed decisions regarding their care.

We saw that staff spoke politely to people and consultations were carried out in private treatment rooms. Information was clearly displayed for people, including health promotion, access to support services and information about the practice and the services provided.

We found evidence that staff had received regular training, supervisions and appraisals. There were protocols and procedures in place to ensure people's personal data was secure and confidential.