We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hartington Surgery on 2 September 2019 as part of our inspection programme. The inspection was triggered by a change in registration status with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The practice was previously registered as a partnership but became a single-handed GP provider which registered with the CQC on 3 December 2018.
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- what we found when we inspected
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
We have rated this practice as outstanding overall. The practice was rated as outstanding for providing caring, responsive and well-led services, and good for providing safe and effective services. All the population groups were rated as outstanding.
We rated the practice as outstanding for providing caring services because:
- The national GP patient survey demonstrated that the practice had performed higher than local and national averages in relation to all the questions related to providing a caring service. This was reinforced by overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients in comment cards, and other sources such as comments posted on the NHS website.
- The practice had been awarded the Derbyshire Dignity Campaign Award from Derbyshire County Council, and ensured this was integrated into the way the practice provided care for their patients.
We rated the practice as outstanding for providing responsive services because:
- Patients’ individual needs and preferences were central to the planning and delivery of tailored services. The services were flexible, provided choice and ensured continuity of care.
- The involvement of other organisations and the local community was integral to how services were planned and ensured that services met people’s needs. There were innovative approaches to providing integrated person-centred pathways of care that involved other service providers, particularly for people with multiple and complex needs.
- There was a proactive approach to understanding the needs of different groups of people and to deliver care in a way that met these needs and promoted equality. This included people who were in vulnerable circumstances or who had complex needs.
- People could access appointments and services in a way and at a time that suited them. The national GP patient survey demonstrated that the practice had performed significantly higher than local and national averages in relation to all the questions related to providing a responsive service. This was reinforced by overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients in comment cards, and other sources such as comments posted on the NHS website.
We rated the practice as outstanding for providing well-led services because:
- There was evidence of proactive and strong leadership.
- We observed that the new provider had instigated a number of positive changes that had produced good outcomes for patient care and enhanced patient safety. The change programme had been handled sensitively with the support and commitment of the practice team, and without any interruption to continuity at the practice. Feedback from patients was wholly positive about the new provider.
- Audit processes were embedded within the practice and we saw how this drove service improvements and patient safety.
- There was a continual drive to further improvement with flexibility to redesign service delivery to meet new challenges. We saw innovation and a commitment to engage with others to highlight and share best practice.
We rated the practice as good for providing safe and effective services because:
- The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
- Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
- Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way. The practice organised and delivered services to meet their patients’ needs.
There was one area where the provider should make improvement:
- The practice should collate evidence of their practice team’s immunisation status.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care.