Archived: The Hermitage Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hermitage Surgery on 20 December 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• The practice had a clear vision to provide the best healthcare and be as effective and efficient as possible whilst remaining small, friendly and accessible.
• We observed a strong patient-centred culture, all staff supported the ethos that patient care was central to everything the practice did and that all patients were treated as individuals.
• The practice had been through a period of uncertainty regarding their on-going contract to offer GP services. The practice had been in negotiation with the local clinical commissioning group, NHS England and local providers to discuss how the contract was going to continue in the future due to the planned retirement of the GP partner and the nurse.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported and valued.
• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system 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. The practice worked with local initiatives including the local community navigator scheme, care co-ordinators and community pharmacists to improve the care and treatment for patients.

• Feedback from patients about their care and treatment was consistently positive.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We noted one area where the provider should improve:

• Continue to develop the patient participation group for wider patient feedback.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice