Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Studholme Medical Centre on 14 April 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
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 been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
- 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
- Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
- The practice had good facilities and 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.
We saw areas of outstanding practice:
- The practice set up and facilitated a number of patient led groups such as support for prostate cancer and families in unusually traumatic circumstances. Patients told us these had been of great benefit to them.
- The practice employed two pharmacists to provide support to the patients during surgery opening hours. We saw several examples where the pharmacist, working in conjunction with a named GP, had a positive patient impact with improved understanding about their medicines and how to take them, we also saw examples of better compliance with medicine regimes and improved patient engagement both with the surgery and other services including the local authority.
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
- Continue to monitor patient satisfaction including access to GPs, appointment booking and opening hours.
- Continue to pro-actively identify carers.
- Ensure that a robust system of annual appraisals is maintained.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice