Archived: St John's Surgery Ltd

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at St Johns Surgery on the 28nd October 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Clinical staff reviewed significant events to help identify and learn from events. Most staff were aware of how to access information about incidents and shared learning, especially if they did not attend a staff meeting. However we noted two staff were unaware, despite this information being stored on the practices own computer system.

• The practice had a safeguard lead and staff were aware of how to report patients considered at risk. However there were gaps in staff training where some staff had not received safeguard training for vulnerable adults. Following our visit staff in need of this update were in the process of receiving this training.

• The practice used the expertise of their own pharmacy advisor to ensure the practice was prescribing in line with current guidelines. They carried out regular monitoring and audits of medication prescribing.

• The practice had good facilities in a purpose built building with disabled access. The practice was clean and tidy.

• The clinical staff proactively sought to educate patients to improve their lifestyles by regularly inviting patients for health assessments.
• Patients spoke highly about the practice and the whole staff team. They said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The practice has a Patient Participation Group (PPG) who regularly met with the practice staff. They made suggestions throughout the year to help improve the service provided by the practice.
• Information about services and how to complain was available on the practices website and following our inspection it is now available within the reception area. Complaint records had detailed information to show how they had been investigated.

• Staff had delegated duties distributed amongst the team. Staff felt supported by management and they felt that since the practice manager started at the practice, it was developing in the right direction.

• Most staff were able to access the practices computer system which contained access to all policies and procedures. Following our visit the provider advised they were reviewing governance systems to ensure the monitoring and effectiveness of the staffs understanding of all relevant processes necessary for the practice.

There were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements.

Action the provider should take to improve:

• To ensure safeguard training is available and provided for all staff in regard to vulnerable adults and children and ensure staff are updated in the level of training needed for their role.

• To review the extended clinic and ensure this is risk assessed to show how this clinic is managed in safely supporting patients with this service.

• To ensure staff files have up to date evidence in place to show appropriate checks are in place for all staff.
• To ensure all serious incidents of risk and complaints are shared with all staff to help improve shared learning within the practice and to help staff understanding of any lessons learnt.
• To review training records to ensure that all staff have evidence of updated training relevant to their role.

• To review the clinical support and monitoring for staff to help ensure up to date practices throughout the staff team.

 Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice