A CQC deputy chief inspector revealed the latest inspection statistics at the Management in Practice event in Manchester, yesterday.
Sue Macmillan, deputy chief inspector in the north region, revealed that 29 practices (3% of those inspected) have been rated outstanding (13 in the north, six in the south, eight in the central region and two in London).
Another 757 (82%) were rated as good, 105 (11%) as requiring improvement and 36 (4%) as inadequate.
Macmillan said that the most inspections so far have been carried out in the northern region and the least in London “where we’ve had the most difficulty recruiting inspectors”.
“Sometime I get asked ‘do I have to be doing something outrageously innovative to get an outstanding rating?’ And I’d say no, sometimes you go along to a practice and there’s real wow factor but other times its the accumulation of consistently good practice.”
“We’re always looking for examples of outstanding practice, all practices can have examples of that.”
She gave the audience tips on simply avoiding tripping up at an inspection, including checking there are the correct fridge temperatures and no outdated medicine or equipment in the practice.
“At the beginning of inspections we always ask people to spend half an hour telling us about their practice. My advice would be use that opportunity to tell us about things you are really proud of,” she said.
She said that to prove their practice is well-led managers need to show they support learning and innovation and promote an open and fair culture.
“The most difficult category to give an outstanding rating is ‘caring’. Most people work in general practice because they care. It’s quite unusual for patients to say the response they’ve had are uncaring.”
At an inspection there may be a practice nurse and practice manager as part of the inspection team. The team will talk to staff and patients, using the information provided before an inspection and may ask questions after the inspection.
The overall rating is calculated as the inspector will colate all the evidence from before, during and after the inspection, she said.
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