Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Victoria Road Medical Centre on 16 June 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement
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 been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
- An administration staff member processed letter received from other organisations such as hospitals and forwarded those requiring action to the GP. However, there was no clinical oversight in place from a clinician to ensure no actions were being missed.
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
- National patient survey data showed that patients rated the practice lower than local and national averages for consultations with GPs and nurses and for access to appointments. However, we saw evidence that the practice had made an improvement in this was also being reflected in the data.
- The majority of patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect. However, some patients also stated that some staff members could be rude at times.
- Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
- Some patients said they found it difficult to get an appointment. The practice was trying to recruit a GP.
- 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 sought feedback patients, which it acted on. However, there remained areas of concern which needed to be addressed based on patient feedback from national surveys.
The areas where the provider must make improvement are:
The areas where the provider should make improvement are:
Continue to ensure areas of concern identified in the national surveys, comments cards and feedback from patients are addressed, including access to appointments and consultations with GPs and nurses.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice