Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
Our previous comprehensive inspection at Ringmead Medical Practice on 12 August 2016 found breaches of regulations relating to the safe and well-led delivery of services. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. Specifically, we found the practice to require improvement for provision of safe and well led services. It was good for providing effective, caring and responsive services. Consequently we rated all population groups as requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the August 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ringmead Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 8 March 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 12 August 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and improvements made since our last inspection.
We found the practice had made improvements since our last inspection. At our inspection on the 8 March 2017 we found the practice was meeting the regulations that had previously been breached. We have amended the rating for this practice to reflect these changes. The practice is now rated good for the provision of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led services. Overall the practice is now rated as good. Consequently we have rated all population groups as good.
Our key findings were as follows:
- The practice had demonstrated significant improvements in governance arrangements.
- Blank prescription printer forms were kept securely and tracked through the practice.
- We found management of legionella and medicines management had been improved.
- The practice had demonstrated improvements in patients’ outcomes for patients with dementia.
- For example, the practice had carried out dementia face to face reviews for 50 out of 56 patients, which demonstrated improvement from 74% to 89%, compared to the previous inspection.
- All staff had received an annual appraisal in the last 12 months. We noted the practice manager had received a formal written appraisal on 21 October 2016.
- Staff feedback had been considered and the practice had made improvements in staffing levels, however it was too early to assess the positive impact.
- The practice had displayed an information poster in the waiting area, written in multi-languages about the available translation service.
- Staff we spoke with on the day of inspection were aware of the translation service.
- Aside from the translation poster; information posters and leaflets were not available in multi-languages. However, the practice website could be translated into various languages and the staff were all aware of this.
- The practice had taken steps to identify carers to enable them to access the support available via the practice and external agencies. The practice register of patients who were carers had increased from 153 (0.98%) patients to 283 patients (1.8% of the practice patient population list size).
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Review how information is displayed in practice and how this could be provided in multiple languages to meet patient needs.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice