Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Stokesley Health Centre on16 November 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
We saw one area of outstanding practice:
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The nursing service provided by the practice to a local extra care housing scheme (Town Close) has significantly reduced emergency admissions, out of hours care and attendance at Accident and Emergency departments. For example, a comparison between April 2015 and April 2016 indicated that out of hours, Accident and Emergency visits and emergency admissions were reduced from six events to zero events at the Town Close facilty, following the implementation of primary care nurse support.
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Patients could always be seen by a GP from the practice on the same day, if the patient required this, even when all available appointment slots were taken.
The areas where the provider should make improvements:
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Non clinical staff should be offered an annual appraisal and the practice should document where these are declined.
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The provider should take steps to ensure that consultations cannot be overheard from the waiting area.
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Develop a written strategy and supporting business plan which outlines their vision and plan for the future.
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Develop a written consent policy.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice