Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out a desk top review of The New Surgery on 22 July 2016. This was to check the practice had responded appropriately the findings of their announced comprehensive inspection conducted on 20 January 2016. At this inspection the practice was rated as good overall, good for safe, effective, caring and well led domains. The responsive domain was rated as requires improvement.
During our last inspection we required the provider to ensure that all complaints received were fully investigated. Patients were also required to be provided with information as to how they could escalate their concerns should they remain dissatisfied with the outcome or how their complaint was handled. We issued the practice with a requirement notice for improvement in relation to their complaints system.
Additionally, they were asked to review the arrangements for obtaining patient consent. It was required to reflect staff responsibilities for determining who holds parental responsibilities when children are treated. We did not issue a requirement notice for this area of improvement but advised the practice that they should make improvements in relation to providing effective services.
After the inspection report was published the provider sent us an action plan that detailed how they would make the necessary improvements. We were the provided documentary evidence of the improvements they had made and we were able to carry out a desk top inspection without the need to visit the practice.
During this desk top inspection, we reviewed two complaints that had been reported since February 2016. We found both complaints had been acknowledged, investigated and responded to appropriately with all aspects addressed. The complainants had also been informed of how to escalate concerns if they were dissatisfied with the outcome of the practices findings.
We found the practice had revised their consent policy. It has been shared with staff who had confirmed they had read and understood it. Where children were brought to the surgery by a person without parental responsibility, a signed consent form was taken from somebody with parental responsibility before care and treatment was provided. Parents were also required to present the Child Immunisation History (Red Book) and letter of invite for their children’s immunisations in order to evidence that they had parental responsibility for the child concerned.
Overall, we found that the practice had made the necessary improvements required of them.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice