21 October 2016
During a routine inspection
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out a comprehensive inspection at Thornley Street Medical Centre on 21 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.
Our key findings across all areas we inspected were as follows:
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
- Patients told us that they were able to get appointments when they needed them, with urgent appointments available the same day.
- There was an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
- Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and to report incidents and near misses.
- Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. We saw that all complaints, both written and verbal, were recorded, investigated and responded to. Learning from complaints was shared with staff.
- The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
- The practice had governance arrangements in place which supported the delivery of the strategy and good quality care.
- The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
- The practice managed most risks well; although further action was needed to demonstrate the action taken to address safety alerts about medicines.
There were areas where the provider should make improvements:
- Introduce a formal recorded system to demonstrate the action taken to address alerts about medicines that may affect patients’ safety.
- Improve the uptake of cervical screening.
- Continue to identify carers and establish what support they need.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice