14 April 2016
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Eastney 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 one area of outstanding practice:
- The practice promoted continual development of staff and retained these staff members as employees at the practice. For example, the practice encouraged a staff member to progress from a Health Care Assistant onto medical school training and further training as a GP. They have also encouraged a member of the nursing team to train as an advanced nurse practitioner.
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
- Consider working together with the other practice to allow for better communication of information to patients. Ensure that the information is easily distinguishable between the two different practices which operate from the premises to increase clarity and accessibility to patients about practice specific information.
- Consider ways to increase the number of identified carers registered at the practice.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice