1 July 2015
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Egton Surgery on 1 July 2015.
Overall the practice is rated as good.
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Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.
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The practice used innovative and proactive methods to improve patient outcomes, working with other local providers to share best practice.
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Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Information was provided to help patients understand the care available to them.
- The practice implemented suggestions for improvement. They demonstrated they had made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the Patient Participation Group (PPG).
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The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
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The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. A business plan was in place, was monitored and regularly reviewed and discussed with all staff. High standards were promoted and owned by all practice staff with evidence of team working across all roles.
We saw several areas of outstanding practice including:
The practice, in collaboration with a neighbouring practice developed processes to share some management responsibilities, improve learning and share best practice. These arrangements included the development of a practice nursing team with specific skills that can be used across the practices. The aim is to increase the services that they currently provide by having a more dynamic and skilled workforce able to deliver care closer to home in this rural area.
The close working arrangements also extend to enable one GP with advanced skills to see patients from nearby practices for conditions associated with the muscular skeletal system and back pain.
There is a strong visible, person-centred culture. Relationships between people who use the service, those close to them and staff are strong, caring and supportive.
The practice worked with, and chaired a local charity which acts to provide medical equipment not normally supplied by the NHS to people living in the area.
The practice used the productive general practice tool to improve patient outcomes and care delivery. An area currently being developed through this programme was the delivery of prescribed medication to vulnerable patients in their own homes, reducing their need to travel within this rural community.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice