This practice is rated as Good overall.
The key questions are rated as:
Are services safe? – Requires Improvement
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Good
Are services well-led? - Good
As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:
Older People – Good
People with long-term conditions – Good
Families, children and young people – Good
Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good
People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good
People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sunderland GP Alliance – Disruptive Patient Service on 20 March 2018. This was as part of our ongoing inspection programme.
At this inspection we found:
- The practice provided care and treatment for patients who were allocated to them as part of a special allocations scheme. Patients were allocated for a minimum of one year and they were removed from the practice list and returned to a mainstream practice on the successful completion of a risk review process.
- The practice recognised the needs of the patients who were allocated to the practice and provided services to meet their needs. They provided information to patients to make sure they were aware of how to access care and treatment.
- When required the practice supported the patient when they moved to a new practice. For example, by contacting the new practice before and after the patient was registered to ensure the new practice was aware of their background and how any issues had been successfully managed in the past.
- The practice had clear systems to manage risk; however, some of these required improvement so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice had not always responded promptly to the issue raised. The practice had not always recognised risks that could affect the practice.
- The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
- Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
- Patients told us the practice was supportive and provided prompt and effective care.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Look for ways to allow patients to provide feedback to the practice.
- Implement a process to identify and record if patients have caring responsibilities.
The areas where the provider must make improvements are:
- Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients. See the requirement notices at the end of this report for further detail.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice