Archived: Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub

Updated 16 April 2019

Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub is located in Brighton and Hove, providing general medical services to approximately 7,000 patients.

Services are provided from two locations, the main practice building at:

• Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub, County Clinic, Old Shoreham Road, Portslade, Brighton, East Sussex, BN41 1XR

And the branch surgery at:

• Burwash Road Surgery, 14 Burwash Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 8GQ

There are three GP partners, two non-clinical partners and five salaried GPs. There is one nurse practitioners, two practice nurses and two health care assistants. There is one pharmacist. GPs and nurses are supported by the practice manager and a team of reception/administration staff.

The practice subcontracted their NHS England General Medical Services contract (GMS is one of the contracting routes that have been available to enable commissioning of primary medical services) to “Here”, which is a not-for-profit social enterprise and primary care organisation. “Here” provides some of the back-office functions including human resource management, finance, health and safety, premises management and some of its policies and procedures. Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub are responsible for the management and clinical governance of the service.

Data available to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) shows the practice serves a higher than average number of patients from birth to 18 years old when compared to the national average. The number of patients aged 85 years and over is slightly lower than the national average. The number of registered patients suffering income deprivation is above the national average.

Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub is open from Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 6pm. Burwash Medical Centre is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 8:30am and 6pm. It is open on Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30am to 12:30pm. Both sites close between 1pm and 2pm when an emergency telephone service is provided.

Extended hours appointments are offered every Tuesday from 6:30pm to 7:15pm. The practice is also part of a shared Extended Hours Service with two other practices. The location of this service rotates every three months between Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub and another local practice. Appointments are offered Monday to Friday from 6.30pm to 8.00pm, Saturday from 8am to 2pm and on Sunday between 10am to 1pm.

Appointments can be booked over the telephone, online or in person at the surgery. Patients are provided information on how to access an out of hours service by calling the surgery or viewing the practice website.

The practice runs a number of services for its patients including; family planning, chronic disease management, minor surgery, health checks, smoking cessation, and travel vaccines and advice.

Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub is registered with the CQC to provide the regulated activities; Treatment of disease, disorder or injury; Surgical procedures; Diagnostic and screening procedures; Maternity and midwifery services; Family planning.

Updated 16 April 2019

We carried out an announced focused inspection at Benfield Valley Healthcare Hub on 20 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

At the last inspection in March 2018 we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing safe services because:

• The practice did not have reliable systems and processes to make sure refrigerated medicines were stored safely.

We also found areas where the provider should make improvements:

• Review training and guidance given to all staff to identify children and adults at risk on the practice computer system.
• Review the premises and facilities provided at both sites and ensure all reasonable adjustments are made, including that all patients can raise an alarm if they require assistance.

At this inspection, we found that the provider had satisfactorily addressed all of these areas.

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service is 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.

Overall the practice continues to be rated as good and is now good in the safe domain.

Details of our findings

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had reviewed and updated their policies and procedures to ensure that refrigerated medicines would be appropriately monitored. Actions were taken if temperatures went out of the recommended range, or if checks had not been completed and recorded.
• Staff had been fully updated and they had received additional guidance. This included an updated reception staff handbook to include information on the computer alerts used to identify children or adults at risk.
• There were processes to identify, understand, monitor and address current and future risks including risks to patient safety. The practice fully recorded and investigated significant events. Actions were taken to improve safety and lessons were learned
• The practice had updated their premises, including an emergency assistance alarm, baby changing facilities, and replacement of flooring.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

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

Updated 16 April 2019

Updated 16 April 2019

Updated 16 April 2019

Updated 16 April 2019

Updated 16 April 2019

Updated 16 April 2019