Bodmin Road Health Centre Also known as Dr PMA Simpson and Partners

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This is the report of findings from our inspection of Bodmin Road Health Centre.

We carried out a comprehensive inspection on 14 January 2015. We spoke with patients, a member of the Patient Participation Group (PPG) and staff, including the management team.

The practice was rated as good overall.

Our key findings were as follows:

• All staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. When things went wrong reviews and investigations were carried out.

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance was used routinely. Patients’ needs were assessed and care planned considering current guidance.

• We found high levels of patient and staff satisfaction. Patients were extremely happy with the service provided by the practice. They told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect. The staff team was stable and staff told us they felt supported and valued in their roles.

• Patients confirmed they were able to contact the practice and speak with a health practitioner in a timely and accessible manner. Patients told us they could always get an appointment when they needed one, including on the same day if it was urgent. Recent issues with regards to the telephone system were raised by some patients. It was clear the practice had begun to take steps to assess and resolve this issue.

• The practice took time to listen to the views of their patients and ran an active Patient Participation Group. Actions were identified and taken to improve the service.

• Staff of all levels were allocated a ‘buddy’. This ensured that if staff who had key responsibilities were off sick or unavailable another member of staff could conduct their duties in an effective way

We saw several areas of outstanding practice including:

• Bereaved families were visited at home to offer emotional support and to sign post to other services. Staff who knew the family well also offered to attend funerals to offer their support.

• The practice held a carers service clinic each week. Patients were referred to this service, or could refer themselves. This service provided onsite support, both emotional and practical in nature, to patients acting as carers.

• The practice actively promoted a social enterprise commissioned by Trafford Council. This service provided information and a support network to patients who may experience emotional or psychological distress in order to improve their mental wellbeing. Leaflets were available and a dedicated computer which patients could access to gain further information about the service.

There were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Regularly review policies, including infection control, to ensure these are relevant to the service, up to date and available to staff.

• Include Mental Capacity Act (2005) and DoLS (Deprivation of liberty safeguards) in staff training.

• Review monitoring processes to ensure timely recurrence of risk assessment and staff training.

• Ensure suitable arrangements are in place to demonstrate the safety of the storage and use of liquid nitrogen to protect service users and others who may be at risk.

• Review repeat prescribing processes to ensure patients who require more frequent review are safely monitored.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice