We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hopwood Medical Centre on 29 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found when we inspected
• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
• information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
• The practice, with other practices in the Clinical Commissioning Group and the wider NHS, had receptionists who were trained as care navigators who signposted patients to the right person at the right time across a variety of health services.

We saw one outstanding feature

The practice was registered as part of the local homeless friendly scheme. They funded and handed out emergency packs which included sleeping bags, snack bars, bottled water, socks and gloves. Information was given to the homeless person of where they could seek support. Patients with no fixed abode were able to register and use the practice address. They were asked where they could be found in case of contact. The practice would engage with external services such as community health care, hostels, prisons and young offenders institutions on behalf of the homeless patient.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We inspected Hopwood Medical Centre on the 4 February 2015 as part of our comprehensive inspection programme. This was the practice’s first inspection by CQC under its new methodology. 

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing well-led, effective, caring and responsive services. It was also good for providing services for the 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 and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia.

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 well managed.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. 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.

• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.

• 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.

We saw several areas of outstanding practice including:

·          

The practice worked closely with the local community to promote health awareness.

·          

There was an active programme of clinical audits at the practice. A review of eight audits demonstrated that the practice was both proactive and successful in achieving positive outcomes for patients.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice