Archived: Riverbank Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Riverbank Medical centre on 17 May 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, with the exception of governance arrangements for the management of infection control and the absence of a fire risk assessment. The practice notified us with 48 hours that this had been updated, a fire risk assessment and an infection control audit had been completed.
• The practice had safe and effective systems for the management of medicines, which kept patients safe. However prescription pads were not stored securely and vaccines fridges were left unlocked. The practice took immediate steps to improve this by completing a risk assessment and arranging for all doors to be fitted with coded locks.
• 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. However, the training record showed that not all staff had received updated mandatory training in safeguarding, basic life support and the Mental Capacity Act. The practice notified us with 48 hours that this had been updated and all training had been booked in to be completed by June 2016.The practice confirmed they had also arranged for administrative staff to undertake further customer service training including telephone skills and handling difficult situations. This was booked in for July 2016.
• All staff had received an appraisal but we found some had not been completed within the past 12 months. The practice notified us with 48 hours that this had been updated and all staff had a date booked in to be completed by July 2016.
• Recruitment procedures and checks were completed to ensure that staff were suitable and competent. However, some records were not fully complete and had information missing. For example photographic identification and disclosure and barring service checks (DBS). The practice notified us with 48 hours that this had been updated and all files were up to date and DBS checks had been applied for.
• 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 said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP, although some found it difficult to get through on the telephone. 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.
• 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 areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Continue to improve telephone access. The last patient survey showed only 53% of patients said they could get through easily to the practice by phone compared to the national average of 73%.
• Continue with improving services provided to military veterans to ensure they are in line with the military veteran’s covenant.
• Review how audit processes are established to ensure an on-going audit programme is in place to show that continuous improvements have been made to patient care in a range of clinical areas as a result of multi cycle clinical audits.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice