The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Fisher Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Millfields, Coach Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1EU (01756) 799622

Provided and run by:
Fisher Medical Centre

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

10 April 2018

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection 23/06/2016 – 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

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Fisher Medical Centre on 10 April 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.
  • There was evidence of safe prescribing with reviews undertaken with those patients who were prescribed high risk medicines.
  • There was evidence of comprehensive poly pharmacy reviews for patients.
  • Patients’ comments were positive regarding access to appointments and the service they received from practice staff.
  • The practice had a number of health champions to support a variety of aspects of care.
  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • There was evidence of a cohesive practice team. Support and respect was shown by all members of staff towards one another.
  • Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
  • There was a range of inclusive meetings to ensure all staff were engaged and kept up to date. This included a daily briefing at five minutes to eight each morning.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • The provider should ensure that the same process is used at the branch surgery as the main surgery with regard to recording minimum and maximum refrigerator temperatures.
  • The provider should ensure that prescription pads are locked away securely at the branch surgery when the building is not occupied.
  • The provider should ensure there is a systematic process to ensure the competencies of non-medical prescribers in the practice.
  • The provider should review and improve quality activity, particularly audits of two or more cycles, in order to demonstrate improvements to outcomes for patients as a result.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

7 December 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Fisher Medical Centre on 7th December 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • 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.
  • The practice provided on the day appointments to all patients via telephone consultations with a duty GP who triaged calls to decide if patients needed to attend in person at the practice. Priority was given to urgent appointments and vulnerable patients.
  • 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 several areas of outstanding practice including:

  • The practice had a health co-ordinator to support weight management, alcohol reduction and smoking cessation and could demonstrate this had a positive impact for patients using this service.

  • The practice also supported and promoted Patient Health Champions volunteers to help patients towards a healthier lifestyle.

  • Support and opportunities have been provided for socially isolated patients to engage in events and programmes organised by the Health Promotion Officer with support from the Health Champions.

  • The practice provided support to 15 local nursing and care homes for those with a high need for medical care. The impact has reduced unplanned hospital admissions by 60% and allowed for more effective use of GP hours. Care Homes Team based at the surgery provided additional health education to staff at Care Homes

  • The Clinical Prescribing Pharmacist role had been developed to support patients with queries about their medication and prescribing also provided flexibility to the appointment system

  • Active involvement with the PPG who were working with the practice and improve the overall experience for patients. The group had a good representation from the community including patients under 18 years.

  • The practice had been innovative in its efforts to meet the needs of patients. It has been a leader in the employment of Physician Associate (PA) who provide a broad range of health care services under the supervision of a GP. This and this has enabled the practice to offer a flexible appointment system. There is also an effective mentorship programme that supports these additional roles within the practice.

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

Importantly the provider should

  • Further review the current appointment system with a critical analysis of the patient’s experience.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice