I H Medical Also known as Improving Health Medical Practice

Updated 31 January 2022

IH Medical is located in Wolverhampton at Bilston Health Centre, Prouds Lane, Bilston, West Midlands WV14 6PW.

The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities: Diagnostic and screening procedures; Family planning services, Maternity and midwifery services; Surgical procedures and Treatment of disease, disorder or injury. Services provided at the practice include the following clinics: long-term condition management including asthma, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), minor surgery and immunisation.

IH Medical is a member of the NHS Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The practice provides services to patients of all ages based on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England for delivering primary care services to a patient population of about 3,244.

Information published by Public Health England shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the second decile (two of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others. According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the practice area is, 58.3% White, 27.8% Asian, 6.3% black, 4.6% Mixed and remaining 3% other ethnicity.

The practice team consists of two GP partners and a salaried GP (all male). The GPs work a total of eleven sessions per week. The GPs are supported by two advanced nurse practitioner’s, a practice nurse and a healthcare assistant who all work part time. Clinical staff are supported by a practice manager, and five administration / receptionist staff. In total there are 13 staff employed either full or part time hours to meet the needs of patients. The practice is also an accredited GP training practice for Speciality Trainee doctors.

Due to the enhanced infection prevention and control measures put in place since the pandemic and in line with the national guidance, most GP appointments were telephone consultations. The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 8am to 5.30pm on Thursday. Appointments are offered from 08.30am

The practice is part of the Unity Primary Care federation, a wider network of GP practices. When the practice is closed at 5.30pm on Thursday, patients have access to one of the GP practices within its primary care network. Extended access is provided locally at identified sites through the group of practices within the network where evening appointments are provided between 6.30pm and 8pm. The practice does not provide an out-of-hours service to its own patients but directs patients to out of hours services through the NHS 111 service.

Additional information about the practice is available on their website:

www.ihmedical.co.uk

Updated 31 January 2022

We carried out an announced inspection at IH Medical over a period of five days, the final inspection date was the 24 November 2021 when we carried out an onsite inspection visit.

Set out the ratings for each key question

Safe - Good

Effective - Good

Caring - Good

Responsive - Good

Well-led - Good

This was the first inspection of this service following registration and change in the registered provider in September 2019.

Why we carried out this inspection

This inspection was a comprehensive review of information as part of our inspection programme.

How we carried out the inspection/review

Throughout the pandemic CQC has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our reviews differently. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.

This included:

• Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing
• Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system and discussing the findings with the provider
• Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider
• Requesting evidence from the provider
• Carrying out a site visit.

Our findings

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

We found that:

• Some of the patient clinical records we reviewed showed a lack of oversight of the practice arrangements for monitoring the completeness of patient consultation records and high risk medicines.
• Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care, support and treatment and worked together and with other organisations to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• 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 adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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-centre care.
• There was areas of good practice, one of the GPs had developed a template within the practice patient information system for monitoring patients prescribed a high risk medicine. This provided clinicians with an immediate update of a patient’s blood test result for this medicine, prior to issuing a repeat prescription.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Continue to review the fire risk assessment with relevant personnel to confirm whether work recommended had been carried out.
• Continue to improve the monitoring and review of patients prescribed high risk medicines.
• Continue to improve the monitoring and review of patient’s clinical records.
• Review the process for updating and linking the outcome of tasks and any follow up requested with the relevant consultation documented in patients clinical records.
• Proactively review and act on the uptake of cervical cancer screening at the practice to ensure timely action can be taken where appropriate.
• Proactively review and improve on the uptake of childhood immunisations.

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