Eastgate Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Eastgate Surgery on 7 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.
• The practice monitored performance using the information collected for the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and performance against national screening programmes to monitor outcomes for patients. (QOF is a system intended to improve the quality of general practice and reward good practice). We saw evidence of progress in performance as a result of regular monitoring and improvement work.
• The practice nurse had developed a diary for newly diagnosed diabetes patients to use to support and help them to understand and manage their condition.
• 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.
• 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 had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• All Care Quality Commission comment cards received were positive about the service experienced. Patients said they felt the practice offered an excellent service and staff were helpful, caring and treated them with dignity and respect.
• 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.
• The practice had higher than local and national averages for patient feedback.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had a number of patients aged over 100 years and they had been visited on their 100th birthday by the doctor and practice matron with flowers and cards.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Carry out fire drills on a regular basis.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice