Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
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 inspection at White Cliffs Medical Centre on 28 November 2017. At this inspection we found:
- There was a system for recording and acting on significant events and incidents. Staff understood their duty to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Leaders and managers supported them when they did so.
- The practice was clean and tidy and staff had received training in infection prevention control.
- Improvements were required to strengthen the practices identification and management of risks. For example, the practice was reviewing clinical records to ensure safe prescribing practices in response to medicine safety alerts.
- The practice achieved 99% of the clinical points available.
- Patients reported high levels of satisfaction with the practice. The practices past three months Friends and Family data showed 94% of patients who completed the survey were extremely likely or likely to recommend the practice.
- The practice took complaints and concerns seriously and responded to them appropriately to improve the quality of care.
- Leaders had the experience, but needed to ensure sufficient time and resources were available to focus their skills on delivering the practice strategy.
- The practice were embedding their governance systems to improve their identification of risks and timely response.
The areas where the provider must make improvements are:
- Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice