Archived: Drs Whiting, Harvey and Ashley Also known as Trevithick Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of the location Drs Whiting Harvey and Ashley known as Trevithick Surgery on 6 October 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.
• All 34 patients providing feedback at the inspection 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.
• All 34 patients responding in writing or person 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 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. Staff retirements and ill health had placed the practice under significant pressures in the last 12 months and the practice had asked for early help from stakeholders such as NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Group. The impact on the delivery of patient care was minimised because of these actions and was further illustrated by the positive feedback we received from 34 patients during the inspection. This verified that the practice was open with them about the challenges, had discussed necessary changes and had put in safeguards to ensure continuity for patients by using a small number of named locum GPs.

However there were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• The practice should undertake clinical audits and ensure that re-audits are put in place to improve patient outcomes.

• Review the processes for identifying carers in the practice to increase those being identified and to offer carers support and guidance about available services.

• The practice should look at ways to increase engagement with patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses to facilitate the development of a comprehensive care plan for each person.

• The practice should look at ways to improve patient experience by using the feedback received to make practical changes where ever possible.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice