Archived: Cherrybrook Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Cherrybrook Medical Centre on 2 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.
• 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 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 implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it

delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the Patient Participation Group (PPG).

• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We found areas of outstanding practice:

• Patients with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) were able to have an echo cardiogram at the practice, which monitored their heart rhythm. This provided a colour video of the patient’s heart in action, to see how their heart was working, and assisted health professionals in making recommendations for medicines and treatment changes. Approximately 647 patients had used this service in the last 12 months. This specific service had saved many of these patients the inconvenience of being referred to secondary care at hospital. The service was provided every day from 8am to 12 noon and 3.30pm to 7pm. Patients had provided positive feedback about the service.

• Patients who lived in nursing homes had twice yearly reviews of their care undertaken by their GP visiting them at the home.as well as visiting when requested.
• Patients deemed at risk of social isolation were offered referral to social services, or to the practice’s local voluntary team, called the Cherryaiders. Cherryaiders offered transport to the practice or to local clinics, organised coffee mornings and social events, and held a book stall at the practice.
• To reduce the inconvenience to patients of being subject to an unplanned hospital admission, the practice contacted speciality duty consultants to review appropriateness of the admission on a case by case basis, and referred patients to the community intermediate care beds where appropriate. The practice liaised with the local community matron frequently who managed the care of these patients.
• Patients with atrial fibrillation could have an echo cardiogram (ECG) which monitored their heart rhythm. This provided a colour video of the patient’s heart in action, to see how their heart was working, and assisted health professionals in making recommendations for medicines and treatment changes. Approximately 647 patients had used this service in the last 12 months. This service had saved many of these patients the inconvenience of being referred to secondary care at hospital. The service was provided every day from 8am to 12 noon and 3.30pm to 7pm. Patients had provided positive feedback about the service.
• Smoking cessation statistics for the practice showed that 185 patients had been referred to the stop smoking support service and 96 had successfully stopped smoking in the last 12 months. This was a success rate of 52%.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice