Archived: Quayside Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Quayside Medical Centre on 19 January 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It was also good for providing services for the population groups of older people, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable, people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).  It requires improvement for the population group of people with long-term conditions.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and prioritised.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Most staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
• 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.
• Most patients said the appointment system was satisfactory, although not all patients reported continuity of care due to the use of locums on certain days. Most patients said they could be seen in an emergency but they may have to wait.
• 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 management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly the provider should:

• Ensure that full cycle clinical audits are completed.
• Ensure the safeguarding lead is trained to Level 3 in safeguarding adults and children.
• Ensure GPs are involved and aware of the practice business plan.
• Ensure that where applicable, that care plans for patients are used.
• Ensure vacant posts are filled in a timely manner so as not to impact on patient care.
• Ensure all clinical staff meet on a regular basis as a team.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice