Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
Haldon House Surgery was inspected on Thursday 13 November 2014. This was a comprehensive inspection.
There were three GP partners at this practice, with a team of staff in place to provide a service to approximately 5,600 patients in the sea-side town of Exmouth.
Patients using the practice also have access to community staff including district nurses, community psychiatric nurses, health visitors, physiotherapists, speech therapists, counsellors, podiatrists and midwives.
We rated this practice as good.
Our key findings were as follows:
The practice was well led and responded to patient need and feedback. There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on. The practice had a well run and active patient participation group, who met regularly with the practice manager to provide feedback about services on behalf of patients registered at the practice.
Patients liked having a named GP, which they told us improved their continuity of care. The practice was clean, well-organised, had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients. There were effective infection control procedures in place.
Feedback from patients about their care and treatment was consistently positive. We observed a non-discriminatory, person centred culture. Staff told us they felt motivated and inspired to offer kind and compassionate care and worked to overcome obstacles to achieving this. Views of external stakeholders were very positive and aligned with our findings.
Patient’s needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current legislation. This included assessment of mental capacity and safeguarding concerns to make decisions about care and treatment, and the promotion of good health.
Suitable recruitment, pre-employment checks, induction and appraisal processes were in place and had been carried out thoroughly. There was a culture of further education to benefit patient care and increase the scope of practice for staff.
Documentation received about the practice prior to and during the inspection demonstrated the practice performed comparatively with all other practices within the clinical commissioning group (CCG) area.
Patients felt safe in the hands of the staff and felt confident in clinical decisions made. There were effective safeguarding procedures in place.
Significant events, complaints and incidents were investigated and discussed. Learning from these events was implemented and communicated to show what learning, actions and improvements had taken place.
In relation to areas for improvement, the provider should:
- Training in the workings of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) should be extended to all practice nursing staff.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice