Archived: Pilning Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Pilning Surgery (Montpelier Health) on Thursday 7 May 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, well-led, effective, caring and responsive services. It was also good for providing services for the care of older patients, those with long term conditions, families, children and young patients. In addition it was good at providing services for working age patients, including those recently retired and students, patients whose circumstances make them vulnerable and patients experiencing poor mental health including, patients with dementia.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
• 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.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Ensure two written references are obtained when recruiting new staff to be satisfied they are suitable for employment.
• Provide staff with training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 so they are fully aware of their responsibilities when patients lack the ability to give informed consent.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice