Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
Our previous comprehensive inspection at Berinsfield Health Centre in Berinsfield , Oxfordshire on 20 July 2016 found breaches of regulations relating to the safe, effective and well-led delivery of services. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. Specifically, we found the practice to require improvement for the provision of safe, effective and well led services. The practice was rated good for providing caring and responsive services. The concerns identified as requiring improvement affected all patients and all population groups were also rated as requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the July 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Berinsfield Health Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 3 March 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the three breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 20 July 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and improvements made since our last inspection.
We found the practice had made improvements since our last inspection. At our inspection on the 3 March 2017 we found the practice was meeting the regulations that had previously been breached. We have amended the rating for this practice to reflect these changes. The practice is now rated good for the provision of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led services. Overall the practice is now rated as good. All six population groups have also been re-rated following these improvements and are also rated as good.
Our key findings were as follows:
- The practice had established and was now operating safe and effective systems to assess, manage and mitigate the risks identified relating to fire safety, gas safety checks, electrical installation, infection control, clinical waste and legionella.
- Blank prescription forms and pads were kept securely and tracked through the practice.
- The practice had revised recruitment processes and supporting documentation including Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
- National guidance had been embedded into the practice regarding patient specific directions (instructions to administer a medicine to a named patient).
- The practice was now effectively managing training arrangements, which were consistent and embedded across all staff groups. Personal and professional development was managed and recorded on a system which identified when staff had training and when it would need to be refreshed.
- There was an overarching governance framework which supported the delivery of the good quality care. Improvements had been made to deliver significant progress in improving services.
- The business continuity plan contained updated, comprehensive information to enable the plan to be used in an emergency.
- The practice had taken steps to improve rates of infant meningitis C vaccinations. The most recent data indicates figures for infant meningitis C vaccinations were 92%, which was a 9% increase on previously reported data and was in line with CCG figures of 95%.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice