Archived: The Grove Surgery

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Grove Surgery on 15 September 2015. 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, recording and learning from significant events.
• Risks to patients and staff 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. This was also available in a wide range of community languages.
• Patients said they found it generally easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day and a Saturday morning clinic for pre-booked appointments.
• 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 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, which is a legal duty to be open when harm is caused to a patient.

We saw several areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice was part of Trinity Care which offers a seven day, nurse-led telephone triage service for same day GP appointments as needed or direction to the most appropriate care.

• Vulnerable people living at a local hostel were visited each week by a GP who held a clinic onsite. Primary care services offered at the hostel worked well in supporting vulnerable people who were otherwise hard to reach. The GP joined up with other agencies offering support with respect to mental health and dependence on alcohol and drugs .

• The practice had recruited an Urdu speaking practice nurse to target support to South Asian diabetic patients following an identified need in this area.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice