Archived: College Health Ltd Boots

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at College Health Boots on 12 November 2014. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led service. It was also good for providing services for the care of older people, for people with long term conditions, for families, children and young people, for working-age people (including those recently retired and students) and for people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). It was outstanding for people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
• 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.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that 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.

We saw one area of outstanding practice namely:

• The practice had collaborated with a local charity support and promote the health of people who were homeless or living in temporary accommodation

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly the provider should

• Have an overall training plan which identifies staff mandatory training requirements
• Ensure that all staff receive mandatory training and that comprehensive training records are maintained

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice