Archived: Carfax Health Enterprise CIC Also known as Carfax NHS Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Carfax Health Enterprise (also known as Carfax Medical Centre) on 13 January 2016. Overall the provider is rated as good. Specifically the provider is rated good for delivery of safe, effective, caring and well led services. The provider is rated as requires improvement for delivery of responsive services as some improvements should be made.

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 the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Training and development was supported by management.
• The provider recognised the needs and delivered services appropriately for patients from ethnic minorities and for those with a disability.
• Patients 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a GP.
• The provider 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.
• Placements were offered for nurses in training.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensuring patients attending the walk in centre are informed of the standard to be seen and treated within four hours. Also introduce a system of keeping patients informed of the waiting time likely to be experienced.

• To provide an induction loop to assist patients who use hearing aids.

• Seek consent from the patient to share information with a third party lodging a complaint on the patient’s behalf.

• Ensure the virtual patient group is formalised to facilitate structured feedback from patients.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice