Archived: Hockley Medical Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of Hockley Medical Practice on 18 June 2015. We have rated this practice overall 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 the older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people living in vulnerable circumstances, and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

Our key findings were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. The practice had a system for reporting, recording and monitoring significant events over time.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and the practice planned and delivered care following best practice guidance.
• Patients confirmed that the practice helped them manage their long term conditions and had arrangements in place to make sure their health was monitored regularly.
• There was information in the waiting room and on the practice website that offered information about various health conditions, support systems and groups available.
• Hockley Medical Practice was visibly clean and hygienic. The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Information was provided to help patients understand the care available to them.
• The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the Patient Participation Group (PPG).
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.

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

• Ensure there is an effective process to manage and monitor action taken as a result of patient safety alerts.
• Ensure all staff are aware of the role of a chaperone and how to effectively fulfil the role.
• Ensure minor surgery audits are carried out.
• Ensure appropriate recruitment processes are followed including obtaining references when new staff members are recruited.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice