The CQC has given former GPC negotiator Dr Peter Holden’s practice a rating of ‘outstanding’ following an inspection, but said it would be a ‘struggle’ to maintain these standards due to recruitment issues.
After an inspection in October last year, the CQC has today published Dr PJP Holden and Partners’ inspection report which claims the Derbyshire practice met all of the inspection criteria – providing an ‘innovative, caring, effective, responsive and well-led service’ for its patients.
Dr Holden praised the practice staff for the rating, but warned that the practice had lost four members of staff since the inspection, and it was having trouble recruiting staff.
The CQC released 75 reports today, revealing that two other practices had been given outstanding ratings – Radbrook Green Surgery in Shrewsbury and St Thomas Health Centre in Exeter – 57 have been rated as good, 10 have been rated requires improvement and five have been rated inadequate.
Earlier in the week, Pulse revealed that three GP practices will be put into special measures this week after being given a rating of ‘inadequate’
The Dr PJP Holden and Partners inspection report highlighted a number of areas where the practice was providing ‘outstanding’ levels of care, including:
- The practice provided medical support to a local drug misuse service, and was helping to change perceptions about people who had a drug dependency.
- It was also working pro-actively with relevant services, which had enhanced their safeguarding links and holistic approach to supporting families and patients who had a drug dependency
- The practice demonstrated effective leadership enabled staff to drive continuous improvements and implement innovative ways to meet patients’ needs.
- The practice had links with local schools and had provided several presentations to pupils about health issues.
Dr Peter Holden, who was not re-elected as GPC negotiator last year, but made it into Pulse’s Power 50 list of the country’s most influential GPs, said the practice’s ‘outstanding’ rating was a tribute to his staff’.
He added: ‘It’s a massive tribute to my staff. I don’t what we’re doing that different from most other practices. I think at the end of the day it is about resources. I say that as a practice that doesn’t have an MPIG, so we’re doing this on minimum funding.
‘And I issue a warning that it will be a struggle to sustain this because since the inspection on 8 October, we have lost four members of staff and we’re having difficulty in recruiting.
‘I think we should take a lesson from the school in inspection reports – where schools go from outstanding to special needs between the space of two reports. And I think at the end of the day, is what’s more important is not the fact that Peter Holden’s practice has got an outstanding, but the fact there is 290 others practices are all rated good.’
Janet Williamson, deputy chief inspector of general practice and dentistry in CQC’s central region said: ‘It is clear that Dr PJP Holden and Partners is providing an effective and well led service which is a real asset to the people living in this part of Derbyshire.
‘Feedback from patients was overwhelmingly positive and many commented that staff went above and beyond their level of duty.
‘We found that the practice displayed an excellent understanding of the differing needs of their patients and acted on these needs in the planning and delivery of its services..
