Archived: Withycombe Lodge Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Withycombe Lodge Surgery on 5 January 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 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that 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 found an area of outstanding practice;

The practice manager had instigated the Tic Tac scheme in 1998 (teenage information centre – teenage advice centre) which had since been adopted across Devon. The practice had won an NHS Beacon Award in 1998 for excellence in primary care for this scheme. [HD1]The scheme was based on site at Paignton Sports and Community College and provided health information and advice for students. Tic Tac was staffed by youth workers, health visitors, GPs, family planning services and other relevant health professionals. Tic Tac provided support on eating disorders, sexual health, teenage pregnancy, depression and anxiety, bullying, drug and alcohol addiction. Tic Tac provided support to 1,800 students at this college.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice