Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Kumar Medical Centre on 31 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Specifically, we found the practice good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led services.
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 we spoke to on the day of inspection informed us they were able to make an appointment with a named GP, with urgent appointments available the same day.
- 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.
- The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
We saw an area of outstanding practice:
- The practice had responded to the needs of ethnic minority diabetic patients and developed ‘The South Asian Lifestyle Intervention Programme’ in collaboration with other practices in the local clinical commissioning group (CCG). The project was aimed at improving the outcomes for diabetic patients. In addition, the practice was offering other health promotion activities, such as, group discussions and yoga classes at the premises. The practice informed us they were one of the best performing practices in managing diabetes in Slough CCG. We noted the positive impact on prescribing rates. For example, the practice had over all lowest prescribing rates (-11%) compared to other practices in the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and reduced the prescribing of antibiotics by 40%.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Ensure all staff are aware that a translation service is available and information about a translation service is displayed in the reception areas.
- Review and monitor the system in place to continue with improvements and encourage the uptake for the bowel screening programme.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice