Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs DP Diggle and RE Phillips’ practice on 29 September 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good for providing safe, effective,caring, responsive and well led care for all of the population groups it serves.
Specifically we found the practice to be outstanding for providing caring services for people with long term conditions and people whose circumstances make them vulnerable.
Our key findings were as follows:
- Patients’ needs were assessed and individualised care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate for their roles
- Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities in raising concerns and reporting incidents, near misses and identified safeguarding issues. There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported
- Risks to patients were identified, assessed and managed
- The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat and meet the needs of patients.
- Access to appointments was good and same day appointments were available when needed
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in care and decisions about their treatment plans.
- The practice sought patient views how improvements could be made to the service through the use of patient surveys and friends and family test. Efforts were being made to establish a patient participation group (PPG)
We saw several areas of outstanding practice:
- The practice offered an in-house weight management programme facilitated by a trained member of staff. It could be demonstrated that this had resulted in positive outcomes for patients who had participated in terms of weight loss as well as lifestyle changes.
- The practice made use of e-consultations with secondary care for diabetic patients. The practice provided evidence that this approach had reduced the number of patients who needed to be seen in hospital outpatient clinics.
- The practice had an established system of working with patients with multiple long term conditions where extended (30-40 minute) appointments were offered, any necessary blood tests were arranged in advance of the appointment, and blood test results were posted to the patient ahead of the appointment with an explanation of the significance of the findings.
- The practice staff had been trained as dementia friends and the practice was making practical changes to the layout of the building to accommodate the needs of patients suffering from dementia.
- The practice acted as a “Safer Place” providing signposting and information services for vulnerable people.
- Support was offered for people experiencing emotional difficulties through the use of the “Rightsteps” service which provided individual in-house counselling services as well as themed workshops which ran monthly.
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs DP Diggle and RE Phillips’ practice on 29 September 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good for providing safe, effective caring, responsive and well led care for all of the population groups it serves.
Specifically we found the practice to be outstanding for providing caring services for people with long term conditions and people whose circumstances make them vulnerable.
Our key findings were as follows:
- Patients’ needs were assessed and individualised care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate for their roles
- Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities in raising concerns and reporting incidents, near misses and identified safeguarding issues. There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported
- Risks to patients were identified, assessed and managed
- The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat and meet the needs of patients.
- Access to appointments was good and same day appointments were available when needed
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in care and decisions about their treatment plans.
- The practice sought patient views how improvements could be made to the service through the use of patient surveys and friends and family test. Efforts were being made to establish a patient participation group (PPG)
We saw several areas of outstanding practice:
- The practice offered an in-house weight management programme facilitated by a trained member of staff. It could be demonstrated that this had resulted in positive outcomes for patients who had participated in terms of weight loss as well as lifestyle changes.
- The practice made use of e-consultations for diabetic patients to offer advice and guidance for example around correct injection technique. The practice provided evidence that this approach had reduced the number of patients who needed to be seen in hospital clinics.
- The practice had an established system of working with patients with multiple long term conditions where extended (30-40 minute) appointments were offered, any necessary blood tests were arranged in advance of the appointment, and blood test results were posted to the patient ahead of the appointment with an explanation of the significance of the findings.
- The practice staff had been trained as dementia friends and the practice was making practical changes to the layout of the building to accommodate the needs of patients suffering from dementia.
- The practice acted as a “Safer Place” providing signposting and information services for vulnerable people.
- Support was offered for people experiencing emotional difficulties through the use of the “Rightsteps” service which provided individual in-house counselling services as well as themed workshops which ran monthly.
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Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice