Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced responsive inspection at Old Farm Surgery on Wednesday 13 September 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good.The practice had previously been inspected in January 2016. Since that time a senior partner and practice manager had left the management team.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- Morale at the practice remained high since the changes in leadership and the new staff team demonstrated they had the experience, capacity and capability to run the practice and ensure high quality care.
- There was an open and transparent approach to safety and a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
- The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.
- The practice had a proactive nursing team including a nurse practitioner to meet the needs of the local population.
- Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
- Patients were satisfied with the care and treatment they received.
- A small number of practice staff and patients had been involved in a musical production locally to raise awareness about and fundraise for a local homelessness charity.
- Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
- Patients we spoke with said they found it easy to make an appointment with a GP and said 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 proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
- The practice was a recognised training practice for doctors training to become GPs and had recently received positive feedback from the GP registrars and from the Quality Panel (QIP) of Health Education England.
- The practice had been a research practice for the last few years and were active in many studies with the Torbay Hospital Diabetic Research Team.
- The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.
We saw one area of outstanding practice:
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The practice had a strong emphasis on self-management and ethos of empowerment of the vulnerable patient population by supporting them to live healthier lives and obtaining the support they needed. For example, through the successful and popular detailed website and effective, proactive joint working with community groups including charities, counselling services, support groups and health and social care hubs.
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice