Archived: GP CARE Services Ltd Also known as The Kingsway Practice

Updated 20 April 2016

GP Care Services Ltd is also known as The Kingsway Practice and is located in Rochdale near Manchester. The practice is located in a modern, single storey purpose built health centre. There is easy access to the building and disabled facilities are provided.

The practice provides primary medical services in Rochdale from Monday to Friday. The practice is open between 8am and 9pm. The first bookable appointment of the day with a GP is 9.30am and the last appointment with a GP is 5.50pm. Extended hours are offered until 8.45pm Monday to Friday. Telephone appointments are offered between 8am and 9.30am, Monday to Friday.

GP Care Services Ltd is situated within the geographical area of Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Commissioning Group (CCG).

The practice has an Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) contract. The APMS contract is the contract between general practices and NHS England for delivering primary care services to local communities.

GP Care Services Ltd is responsible for providing care to 2446 patients. 47% of patients are from an ethnic minority background and 1% have asylum seeker status.

The practice consists of two male salaried GPs and two long term locum GPs, one male and one female. There is one locum practice nurse ( the post is currently vacant) and one phlebotomist. The practice is supported by a practice manager, senior receptionist and a reception and administration team.

When the practice is closed patients are directed to the out of hour’s service.

The practice is part of:-

• A local federation offering appointments between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week.
• A winter pressures clinic at a local urgent care centre.

Updated 20 April 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at GP Care Services Ltd on 9 March 2016. Overall the practice 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.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Staff had access to e-learning training modules but there was no monitoring or documentation system in place to ensure staff had carried out this training.
• Staff acting as chaperones had not had a check with the disclosure and barring service or a risk assessment carried out.
• 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 within the practice and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

However there were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements.

• Ensure recruitment arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff.
• Introduce a system where staff training is monitored and documented.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 20 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions.

• GPs and nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.
• 94.4% of patients on the diabetes register had a record of a foot examination and risk classification within the preceding 12 months which was higher than the national average of 88.3%.
• The practice had a register of pre-diabetic patients who were closely monitored and offered lifestyle advise to prevent the onset of diabetes.
• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.
• All these patients had a named GP and a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met. For those patients with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.
• Personalised care plans were offered to patients with a long term condition.

Updated 20 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people.

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances. Immunisation rates were relatively high for standard childhood immunisations. For example 95% of children aged 5 years had been immunised against measles, mumps and rubella.
• 79.3%of patients with asthma had had an asthma review in the preceding 12 months that included an assessment of asthma control using the three Royal College of Physicians questions which was higher than the national average of 75.35%.
• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals, and we saw evidence to confirm this.
• 80.3% of women aged between 25 and 64 had their notes recorded that a cervical screening test had been performed in the preceding five years which was comparable to the national average of 81.8%.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.
• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives and school nurses however the health visiting team did not currently attend safeguarding meetings to which they were invited.
• Same day appointments were offered to all children under the age of 12 years.
• A confidential chlamydia screening service was offered to patients.
• The practice welcomed breast feeding mothers by making a room available when requested.

Updated 20 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.
• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.
• The practice embraced the Gold Standards Framework for end of life care. This included supporting patients’ choice to receive end of life care at home.
• Support was offered to carers with telephone appointments offered to those that needed them.
• All elderly patients had a named GP.
• Dementia screening was offered to all elderly patients.

Updated 20 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students).

• The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care.
• The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.
• Telephone consultations were available for patients unable to attend the surgery.
• The practice offered appointments between 6.30pm and 8.45pm Monday to Friday for patients that were unable to attend during the day.
• The practice were part of a group of local practices that offered seven day access to a GP.

Updated 20 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

• 77.8% of patients diagnosed with dementia who had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which is comparable to the national average.
• 89.5% of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses had a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in their record in the preceding 12 months was above the national average of 88.47%.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.
• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia.
• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• The practice had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.
• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

Updated 20 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including homeless people, asylum seekers, travellers and those with a learning disability.
• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.
• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities and told us they would report any concerns to the practice manager or lead GP for safeguarding.