Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the practice of Drs Stockton and Thompson on 1 June 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
- Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
- Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
- 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
- Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
- The practice were registered to issue foodbank vouchers and had a close working relationship with the local foodbank charity.
- All staff employed by the practice had received a disclosure and barring check (DBS check). (DBS checks identify whether a person has a criminal record or is on an official list of people barred from working in roles where they may have contact with children or adults who may be vulnerable).
- Although the practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs, they were located in an extremely small building which had been temporary since 2008. The practice had been granted funding, in principal, for a new build and were awaiting planning permission from the local council.
- Due to restrictions with the building, the practice were unable to have a hearing loop and unable to offer electronic prescribing of prescriptions.
- There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management both personally and professionally. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
One area of outstanding practice that we saw was:
One of the GPs in the practice developed and carried out a pilot delivering regular workshops in a local Childrens Centre. The workshops, which were interactive, were to cover key messages to parents and grandparents about conditions such as common rashes, assessing dehydration, the differences between viruses and bacteria and monitoring head injuries. They were then advised about how to access care. The pilot was able to show a reduction in A&E and walk-in centre attendances and after the pilot finished the workshops were taken forward and delivered by the childrens community nurse team.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice