Archived: Shawbirch Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Shawbirch Medical Practice on 2 March 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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.
• The staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. The staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• 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 told us they were able to get ‘on the day’ appointments when they needed them, although they did have to wait for a pre-bookable appointment with their GP of choice.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and the staff felt supported by the management. The GP partners had designated clinical and managerial lead roles.
• The practice proactively sought feedback from the staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider should improvements.

The provider should:

• Ask applicants about any physical or mental health conditions they may have as part of the recruitment process.
• Review how the water temperatures are checked and recorded in line with the legionella risk assessment.
• Adopt a more proactive approach to identifying and meeting the needs of carers.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice