The visit to the practice was announced. This was to ensure we had the opportunity to speak to the doctors and staff working at the practice. We visited the surgery to establish that the needs of patients using the service were being met. During the inspection process we spoke with seven patients, five staff members, two doctors and members of the management team.In order to target our inspections effectively we gather information about services. This may include information from NHS England, patients or staff. Before an inspection we reviewed the information we had. The information directed us to review cleanliness and infection control and the systems in place to support staff.
Below is a summary of our findings based on our observations, speaking with patients and staff.
Is the service caring?
The patients we spoke with were happy with the care, support and treatment they received. They told us they were treated respectfully. We were told that doctors and nurses took the time to listen to the patients.
Is the service responsive?
We found the staff training records difficult to follow. We were unable to confirm what the mandatory training requirements were for each role and what training had been completed. There was no set schedule in place to ensure staff training remained up to date.
Is the service effective?
The patients we spoke with told us that they were supported with long term conditions such as diabetes. We saw that patients received regular reviews of their condition and where appropriate had been referred to community care services.
Is the service well led?
Systems were in place to review complaints and significant events happening in the practice. Regular meetings were in place to ensure all staff were kept informed of development and improvement opportunities.
Is the service safe?
We saw that an infection control policy was in place and available to staff. There was also an infection control audit tool which had been completed on a monthly basis. The audit tool enabled the practice to identify areas which required improvement and attention.