Archived: Salford Health Matters Homeless Service

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Salford Health Matters Homeless Service on 25 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.

• The practice worked closely with other organisations and with the local community in planning how services were provided to ensure that they meet people’s needs. For example the practice had close links with the Drug and Alcohol Team, Citizens Advice Bureau and Sexual Health Services.

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• 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 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 facilities were in need of improvement and this had been recognised by Salford Health Matters.
• 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 one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice employed a link worker that assessed the health and social care needs of the patient. This enabled a care plan to be put in place that was tailored to the specific needs of the patient.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Damage to the staircase leading up to the GP surgery was observed. While there have been no instances of an accident, there is potential for a trip to occur. Maintenance on this area should be carried out to ensure the staircase is safe for all people using it.

• The current method of examining patients involved the blind on the surgery door being pulled down, and a member of staff standing outside of the surgery to prevent anyone from entering during examination. A curtain round the examination bed needs to be installed in order to maintain patient privacy.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice