Portchester Practice

Background to this inspection

Updated 30 November 2016

Portchester Practice is located in West Street, Portchester, Hampshire PO16 9TU. The practice covers a less deprived area than the average for England.

The practice is operated from Portchester Health Centre, which is attached to the local library in the centre of Portchester. The premises are purpose built and owned by NHS property services. The practice building has eight consulting rooms and two treatment rooms. The health centre is used by members of the primary health care team including community midwives. The community nurses and heath visitors are based at the health centre. The practice provides a phlebotomy service (a service where blood samples are taken for testing) to meet the needs of their patients.

The practice does not provide an out of hour’s service for their patients. Outside normal surgery hours patients are able to access urgent care from the 111 Out of Hours service.

The practice provides a range of primary medical services to approximately 9,200 patients. Patients are supported by six GP partners, one male and five female, one GP registrar, one retained GP and one medical student. A GP registrar has completed their medical training to be a doctor but needs to complete another year in primary care to specialise as a GP. A retained GP works at the practice part time and is able to maintain their skills and keep up-to-date until such time when they are able to commit to a substantive post in a GP partnership or salaried position. Further support is provided by a practice manager, an assistant practice manager, three practice nurses, two health care support workers, a phlebotomist and administrative and reception staff. The practice is a member of the Fareham and Gosport Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Portchester Practice has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract. The GMS contract is the contract between general practices and NHS England for delivering primary care services to local communities .

Portchester practice provides regulated activities from a single location at 56 West Street, Portchester, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 9TU. We visited this location during our inspection.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 30 November 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a focused follow up inspection of Portchester Practice on the 11 October 2016. This inspection was performed to check on the progress of actions taken following an inspection we made on 18 December 2014. These included;

A lack of systems for regular appraisal and training of staff
Poor infection control policy and systems to monitor infection control procedures, the quality of the environmental cleaning and not having a policy for the management, testing and investigation of Legionella
A lack of effective mechanisms in place to seek feedback from staff and to respond to feedback gained.

Following the inspection in December 2014 the provider sent us an action plan which detailed the steps they would take to meet their breaches of regulation. During our latest inspection on 11 October 2016 we found the provider had made the necessary improvements in delivering safe, effective and well led services.

This report covers our findings in relation to the requirements and should be read in conjunction with the comprehensive inspection report published on 16 April 2015. This can be done by selecting the 'all reports' link for Portchester Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Our key findings across the areas we inspected in this focused follow up inspection were as follows:

Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. A wide range of risk assessments were now in place in relation to the internal and external premises.

The practice was visibly clean and tidy. This included the reception and waiting areas, treatment and consultation rooms and toilet facilities. Written cleaning schedules were in place and were being followed.
There was an up to date infection control policy and systems were in place to monitor infection control procedures and the quality of environmental cleaning, together with a policy for the management, testing and investigation of Legionella (water quality checks).

The practice had ensured that a system of regular appraisals had been completed. Future appraisals had been planned. Personal development plans were in place for all staff.
Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment. The practice now had an overview of training which specified what training staff had received or required.
There were mechanisms in place to seek feedback from staff and this feedback had been positively received and responded to. For example, the introduction of monthly staff meetings and the attendance of a GP partner at every staff meeting.
Regular meetings were held to address maintenance, cleaning and facilities management issues between the practice and the building’s lease owner, NHS England.
The practice had a vision and strategy. The practice ethos was on display in staff areas. Staff knew and understood their roles and responsibilities in relation to the practice vision and strategy.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)

Chief Inspector of General Practice