Archived: Dr Sylvester, Dr Hobbs and Dr Ford

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr. Hobbs, Dr. Bashforth, Dr. Sylvester and Dr. Ford, otherwise known as Liphook Village Surgery on 8 July 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing well-led, effective, caring and responsive services. It required improvement for providing safe services. It was also good for providing services for older people, people with long term conditions, families children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

Our key findings were as follows:

• 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.

• Patients had their needs assessed in line with current guidance. The practice promoted health education to encourage patients to live healthier lives.

• Feedback from patients and observations throughout our inspection highlighted the staff were kind, caring and helpful.

• The staff worked well together as a team.

• Administration staff provided individual support to patients when needed.

• Information collected for the quality performance against national screening programmes showed that this practice achieved 93.9% of the total target in 2014, which was slightly below the national average of 94.2%.

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

Importantly, the provider must:

• Ensure that patient group directions are in date and signed by an authorised person and meet the legal and national guidance.

In addition the provider should:

• Ensure that the induction process for new members of staff includes fire safety procedures and those policies and procedures in relation to fire safety are reviewed and updated as necessary and discussed with staff.
• Ensure there is a policy around remotely accessing patient records away from the practice building.
• Ensure that all staff receive training or refresher training in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults at a level appropriate to their role and that all staff are aware of the GPs who provide the lead for adult and child safeguarding.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice