28 January 2015
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of New Larchwood Surgery on 28 January 2015. We visited the practice location at Waldron Avenue, Coldean, Brighton BN1 9EZ.
Overall the practice is rated as good. Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It was also good for providing services for older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).
The inspection team spoke with staff and patients and reviewed policies and procedures. The practice understood the needs of the local population and engaged effectively with other services. The practice was committed to providing high quality patient care and patients told us they felt the practice was caring and responsive to their needs.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
Our key findings were as follows:
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance.
- Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in care and decisions about their treatment.
- The practice engaged effectively with other services to ensure continuity of care for patients.
- The practice understood the needs of the local population and planned services to meet those needs.
- The practice was located within shared premises which provided a focal point for the wellbeing of the local community in tackling social isolation. A community café, hairdressing salon, art club and reading club were located within the same premises.
- Although the practice was open for a limited number of hours each day, patients reported good access to appointments.
- The practice had improved arrangements to ensure patients were able to access advice and urgent appointments when they were closed, at their associated practice, Carden Surgery.
However, there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
The provider should:
- Ensure continued development of a virtual patient representation group (VPRG) to further enhance the use of patient feedback to promote continuous improvement.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice