Archived: Beckenham Beacon Urgent Care Centre

Updated 6 June 2017

Beckenham Beacon Urgent Care Centre was commissioned from 2006 to provide GP led, walk in minor illness and injuries service to Bromley and the surrounding area. Although the service is commissioned by Bromley CCG, the service is available to both local residents and to patients who might work in the local area. On average the service sees 130 to 140 patients each day and approximately 50,000 patients each year.

The service is provided by Greenbrook Healthcare. They are the registered provider for 16 GP, Urgent Care, Walk-in and out of hours services across the London area. The provider provides centralised governance for its services which are co-ordinated locally by service managers and senior clinicians.

The service operates in purpose built premises. All patient facilities are wheelchair accessible on the ground floor. The service has access to six consultation rooms on the ground floor.

The service is led by service manager. The service employs salaried, bank and agency clinical and non-clinical staff. The service has nine GPs (both male and female) including one salaried GP, five contract GPs and three bank GPs, 12 emergency nurse practitioners, eight advanced nurse practitioners, two support workers, 12 reception and administrative staff.

The service is open between 8:00am to 8:00pm every day. Patients can attend the service without a referral, but may also be referred to the service by NHS 111 services. The local ambulance service conveys minor injury patients directly to the service. About 60% to 70% of patients are treated by a GP and 30% to 40% of patients are treated by a nurse practitioner.

Updated 6 June 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Beckenham Beacon Urgent Care Centre on 16 March 2017. Overall the service is rated as good.

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

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The service had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety with the exception of fire signage in the waiting area.
• The service did not have a clear system to monitor the implementation of medicines and safety alerts; however the service created a log for alerts immediately during the inspection.
• Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
• The service had an effective streaming system in place; children were usually seen within 15 minutes of arrival and adults were seen within 20 minutes of arrival by an emergency nurse practitioner and the service met all the local performance targets.
• Feedback from patients about access to the service and treatment received was consistent and highly positive.
• Patients we spoke to during the inspection reported that the service provided good care.
• Information about services was available and easy to understand. The service had no complaints leaflet; however information on how to complain was displayed on the screens in the waiting area. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• The service understood the needs of the changing local population, increased demand on local health services and had planned services to meet those needs.
• The service 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 service proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the service complied with these requirements.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure that fire signage and fire procedure is appropriately displayed at all areas of the service.
• Review service procedures to ensure information on how to complain is readily available for patients.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice