9 June 2015
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Simpson and Partners on 9 June 2015. Overall, the practice is rated as good.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was appropriately recorded and reviewed;
- Risks to patients were assessed and well managed;
- The practice was clean, hygienic and good infection control arrangements were in place;
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance;
- The practice had scored well on clinical indicators within the Quality and Outcomes Framework. They achieved 93.2% for the year 2013/14, which was 0.9 percentage points below the CCG Average and 0.9 above the England Average.
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and that they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment;
- Information about the services provided and how to raise any concerns or complaints, was accessible and easy to understand;
- Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment and urgent same-day access was available;
- 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 the management team. The practice actively sought feedback from patients;
- We found there was good staff morale and a learning culture in the practice.
However, there was areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
The provider should:
- Ensure that the serial numbers of blank prescriptions are recorded in accordance with national guidance to reduce the risk of theft or misuse.
- Ensure there are warning signs to highlight the dangers presented by the storage of oxygen within the practice and to alert the emergency services, such as the fire brigade, in the event of a fire.
- Undertake the recommended actions identified in the risk assessment, to protect against the risk of legionella.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice