Archived: Thornton Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This is the report of findings from our inspection of Thornton Family Health Clinic. Our inspection was a planned comprehensive inspection, which took place on 12 November 2014. The surgery is run by a large provider called SSP Health Ltd.

Our overall rating of the service is that it provided effective, responsive care that was rated as good. The practice is also rated as good for being well-led.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The locum GPs had been working at the practice for some time and had built constructive working relationships with members of the community nursing teams and with the patients they provided cared for.
• The locum GPs were familiar with governance processes. Patients commented that they valued seeing the same GP on a regular basis.
• Regular practice meetings took place which the locum GPs attended or led on. These enhanced communication to the practice team of areas for improvement at practice.
• Good working relationships were in place between the practice and community nursing and care teams which promoted patient welfare.
• Care plans were in place for those patients deemed to be at risk of unplanned admissions to hospital. Patients we spoke with were able to confirm their involvement in drawing up these care plans.
• Staff were well led by the practice manager and locum GPs. Staff were committed to providing patients with a caring service.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly, the provider must:

• Review complaints about patient care and treatment using serious event analysis and investigation systems to promote learning and improve the quality of services.

In addition the provider should:

• Improve steps to gain patient feedback, such as forming a Patient Participation Group (PPG) for the practice.
• Ensure adequate risk assessments are in place which detail the reasoning for having or not having DBS checks completed on staff who are used to chaperone patients.
• Provide practice level peer review and clinical supervision of GPs work.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice