Archived: Partners in Health

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Partners in Health on 28 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 which demonstrated a culture of continuous learning for all staff.
• 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.
• 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
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• 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 we spoke to during the inspection said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment however the patient survey results were not in line with these responses.
• Urgent appointments were available on the day they were requested but patients said they did not find it easy to make an appointment with a named GP.

We saw areas of outstanding practice including:

• Respiratory hospital admissions were recalled for review by the nurses following hospital discharge; care plans were updated and shared with the patient to prevent further admissions and deterioration in their health.
• The practice had developed their own in house training course for nurse triage, developing it into a research project to assess outcomes and its suitability to share with other practices.
• In addition the provider should:
• Improve processes for making appointments.
• Review and update procedures and guidance with regard to chaperone duties.
• Ensure an up to date risk assessment is undertaken and fire risk policies and procedures are updated.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice