Archived: Selden Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Selden Medical Practice on 01 December 2015. 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.
• The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems, processes and practices in place to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse. Most staff had received training in the safeguarding of children and adults to an appropriate level. However some members of administrative staff had not received any training in the safeguarding of children and one of those had not received training in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults.

• Recruitment checks were robust and well recorded.

• All clinical staff, staff that were trained as chaperones and recently employed staff had had a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check. However not all non-clinical staff had been risk assessed as to whether their role required them to have a DBS check.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment. However four members of clinical staff had not received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• 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 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 where appropriate.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.
• Some patients who left comment cards said that they found it hard to get through on the telephone and make an appointment with a named GP and that it was difficult to book in advance. Patients also commented that they often had to wait longer than 15 minutes after their appointment time.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• To ensure that all staff receive training appropriate to their roles specifically in relation to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure that all staff roles are risk assessed as to whether they require a DBS check.

• To analyse, discuss and action ways to improve patient access to appointments and in particular increase the number and ease of access of pre-bookable appointments.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice