Archived: Stroud Valleys Family Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

In February 2016, a comprehensive inspection of Stroud Valleys Family Practice was conducted. The practice was rated as requires improvement for safe and good for effective, caring, responsive and well led. Overall the practice was rated as good.

We found that the practice required improvement for the provision of safe services because improvements were needed in the way the practice assessed, managed and mitigated the risk associated with the spread of infections.

Stroud Valleys Family Practice sent us an action plan which set out the changes they would make to improve in these areas.

We carried out an announced desk top inspection of Stroud Valleys Family Practice on 22 September 2016 to ensure the practice had made these changes and that the service was meeting regulations. At this inspection we rated the practice as good for providing safe services. The overall rating for the practice remains good. For this reason we have only rated the location for the key question to which this related. This report should be read in conjunction with the full inspection report published on 11 April 2016.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had processes in place to prevent, detect and control the spread of infections, including those that are health care associated.
• Recommended training had been undertaken by practice staff.
• Procedures were in place for ensuring patients were aware of the chaperone policy.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Stroud Valleys Family Practice on 4 February 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 which demonstrated a culture of continuous learning for all staff.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to infection control.
• 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.
• Feedback from patients about their care was consistently and strongly positive.
• 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 saw areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice had initiated an end of life project. An information session was organised for the local area and included patients of other GPs. The practice worked with the local palliative care consultant and hospice to ensure that patients and relatives had understanding and choice regarding their care and treatment.
• When a local practice closed, the partners were sensitive and caring in meeting the needs of 550 additional patients who registered with them over a six week period. These patients were transferring from an alternative therapy practice and the practice recognised the potential anxieties that patients could have. To address this practice employed a GP locum to ensure that all new patients received an extended appointment. This allowed for a full review to ensure levels of care were optimised. The practice has continued to provide additional GP staffing in order to continue to deliver high quality patient focussed care.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Assessing the risk of, and preventing, detecting, monitoring and controlling the spread of infections, including those that are health care associated.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Ensure staff have received mental capacity training within the practice.
• Review procedures for ensuring patients are aware of the chaperone policy.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice