This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection June 2017 – Good)

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:

Older People – Good

People with long-term conditions – Good

Families, children and young people – Good

Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Heatherview Medical Centre on 21 February 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.

• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.

• The practice used the Electronic Frailty Index (EFI) for patients over 65 years to help identify and predict risks for older patients in primary care. Patients identified as living with severe frailty were also reviewed every month at multi-disciplinary meetings in order to co-ordinate care to meet individual needs.

• The practice used a text message system to remind patients of appointments.

• The practice has a ‘dementia friendly’ status which they achieved by ensuring all staff had undertaken dementia training. Modifications had been made to the signage to help patients with dementia find their way around the location and the branch more easily.

• The practice offered a walk in clinic for urgent same day appointments between 9am until 10.30am Monday to Friday, for patients to attend without a pre-booked appointment.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

• The practice offered services for patients needing support for their behaviour across the locality under the Violent Patient Scheme Directed Enhanced Service.

• Heatherview Medical Centre merged with another practice from October 2017.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Heatherview Medical Centre on 24 June 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, responsive, caring and well led services. It also was rated as good for providing services for the following population groups; older people, people with long-term conditions, 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).

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

• There were systems in place to mitigate safety risks including analysing significant events and safeguarding.

• The premises were clean and tidy.
• Systems were in place to ensure medication including vaccines were appropriately stored and in date.
• Patients had their needs assessed in line with current guidance and the practice had a holistic approach to patient care.

• Feedback from patients and observations throughout our inspection showed that staff were kind caring and helpful.
• The practice had systems in place to respond to and act on patient complaints and feedback safety and the quality of the service provided.
• The staff worked well together as a team.

• The practice was part of a Zero Tolerance Scheme that provided care to patients who had been violent or threatened violence towards staff at other practices and had been removed from their lists. There were 70-100 patient contacts per quarter and approximately 60% were discharged from this service after the initial twelve month contract had been completed. These patients were always seen promptly on arrival at the practice.

• The practice were aware of patients who were not able to read and would contact them by telephone or knock on their front door if a matter required urgent attention, or a health need required following up, for example those with long term conditions. Receptionists in the practice would assist with form filling when needed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

We spoke with nine patients, including two representatives from the patient reference group. We also spoke with five staff, including the practice manager and one of the GP partners. The registered manager was away at the time of the inspection.

Patients said they were treated with respect and involved in making decisions about their care and treatment. For example, one patient commented that the doctors listened to them. Another told us the receptionists were “very polite and pleasant”.

Patients experienced care and treatment that met their needs and protected their rights. All the patients we spoke with expressed confidence in their care and treatment. For example, two patients told us the doctors were good with their children. Patients said they were able to get an appointment when needed, including same day appointments. However, two patients mentioned that because of their work it was difficult for them to telephone the practice when the lines were open.

Patients using the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

Patients were cared for, or supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff started work.

The practice had an effective system to assess and monitor the quality of its services, and to manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of patients and others.