Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Jayatilaka, Leigh-on-Sea on 25 November 2014. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.
Specifically, we found the practice to ‘require improvement’ in the domains of effective, safe and well led services. It is also rated as ‘requires improvement’ for all the population groups we inspected. The domains of responsive and caring were rated as good.
Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:
- Patients consistently commented on the caring attitude of the doctors and staff at the practice
- Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
- Urgent appointments were available on the day they were requested, and patients told us it was easy to get through to the practice on the phone.
- Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand and evidence showed that the practice responded quickly to issues raised.
- staff felt supported by management, and staff knew who to approach with issues
There were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
Importantly, the provider must:
- Ensure there are suitable arrangements for infection prevention and control including training. Use cleaning schedules, auditing and suitable cleaning equipment in line with the practice infection control policy to ensure clinical and non-clinical areas are safe and free from the risks of infection for staff and patients.
- Ensure there is sufficient clinical time allocated for chronic disease management, follow-up, re-call and review to maintain and improve patients’ health.
- Ensure clinical audits are undertaken, with completed clinical audit cycles to show improved patient outcomes.
- Ensure fire safety procedures and risk assessment are revised, fit for purpose, and fire extinguisher(s) are purchased.
In addition the provider should:
- Promote on-line appointments and repeat prescriptions to improve access to services available at the practice, both to patients and stakeholders who were unaware the practice provided them.
- Formulate succession planning for the impending retirement of the practice manager.
Appraise staff members regularly to ensure staff are supported with up to date training and work objectives.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice