Abbey Medical Centre

Updated 14 July 2017

The Surgery is a member of the Leeds West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Personal Medical Services (PMS) are provided under a contract with Leeds West CCG. They also offer a range of enhanced services, which include:

• Childhood vaccination and immunisations

• The provision of influenza and pneumococcal immunisations

• Facilitating timely diagnosis and support for patient with dementia

• Supporting feedback from patients through a Patient Participation Group (PPG)

The surgery is located at Norman Street Leeds LS5 3JN an area on the outskirts of the city and is within the 30% of most deprived localities in England. The practice also has a branch surgery at 60 Moor Grange view, Leeds LS16 5BJ

The current provider is a result of the merger of two practices, Abbey Medical Centre and Moor Grange medical practice. The new merged practice took the contract to provide primary care services from this location in April 2015.

The practice in Norman Street is situated in a bespoke building with all consulting rooms on the entry level. There is a car park for patients immediately in front of the surgery. The branch surgery is located in a former residential house; all consulting rooms are on the entry level. On street parking is available at the branch surgery. Both surgeries have good wheelchair access and portable hearing loops.

The practice has a patient list size of 8,742.

There are six GP’s (two male and four female), who are supported by two practice nurses (both female), one care home nurse (female) and two health care assistants (both female). There is a practice manager and a team of administration and reception staff. The practice also has the support of a CCG employed medicines management pharmacists.

The practice is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 8.00am and 6.00pm, and Tuesdays 7.00am to 6.00pm When the practice is closed out-of-hours services, are provided by Local Care Direct, which can be accessed via the surgery telephone number or by calling the NHS 111 service.

The practice has good working relationships with local health, social and third sector services to support provision of care for its patients. (The third sector includes a very diverse range of organisations including voluntary, community, tenants’ and residents’ groups.)

Updated 14 July 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Abbey Medical Centre on 17 May 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care for all of the population groups it serves.

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

• The ethos and culture of the practice was to provide good quality service and care to patients.

• Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in care and decisions about their treatment.

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

• The practice was able to meet the needs of patients. Information regarding the services provided by the practice and how to make a complaint was readily available for patients.

• Patients reported they were positive about access to the service. They said they found it generally easy to make an appointment, there was continuity of care and urgent appointments were available on the same day as requested.

• The practice of, and complied with, the requirements of the duty of candour. (The duty of candour is a set of specific legal requirements that providers of services must follow when things go wrong with care and treatment.)

• The practice a culture of openness and honesty which was reflected in their approach to safety.

• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• There were comprehensive safeguarding systems in place; particularly around vulnerable children and adults.

• The practice sought patient views how improvements could be made to the service, through the use of patient surveys and the NHS Friends and Family Test.

• There was a clear leadership structure.

• The practice was forward thinking, aware of future challenges and were open to innovative practice.

• The practice nurses had devised a coded system for patients to book appointments for annual reviews when they had multiple conditions. When the patient gave their individual code to the receptionist they were able to book review appointments of the correct length and with the most appropriate clinician.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 14 July 2017

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

• The GPs had lead roles in the management of long term conditions and were supported by the nursing staff. Annual reviews were undertaken to check patients’ health care and treatment needs were being met. Holistic reviews were undertaken with patients who had several long term-term conditions, which avoided the need for multiple appointments.
• The practice identified those patients who had complex needs. The practice ensured that those patients with life limiting conditions were on the palliative care register. These patients were discussed at the Gold Standards Framework (GSF) meeting to ensure the correct support and care was delivered.
• The latest published QOF data (2015/16) related to the previous provider, who had achieved 89% of the total number of points available compared to a CCG average of 96% and a national average of 95%
• Patients were encouraged to self-manage their conditions and were given personalised care management plans.
• The practice nurses had devised a coded system for patients to book appointments for annual reviews of multiple conditions. When the patient gave their individual code to the receptionist they were able to book review appointments of the correct length and with the most appropriate clinician.

Updated 14 July 2017

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

• The practice worked with midwives, health visitors and school nurses to support the needs of this population group
• Contraceptive services were available at both the main surgery and branch surgery.
• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk. The practice had meetings with the health visitors where concerns were discussed regarding all the families known to be at risk.
• Patients and staff told us children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies. All children who required an urgent appointment were seen on the same day as requested.
• Immunisation uptake rates were better than the national rates for all standard childhood immunisations.
• Systems were in place to follow up any children who had failed to attend for routine vaccinations.
• Data from the previous provider showed that 80% of eligible patients had received cervical screening (CCG average 79% and national average 81%).
• Appointments were available with both male and female GPs.

Updated 14 July 2017

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

• The practice provided proactive, responsive and care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.

• The practice worked closely with other health and social care professionals, such as the district nursing and local neighbourhood teams, to ensure housebound patients received the care and support they needed.

• The practice participated in Leeds West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) initiatives to reduce the rate of elderly patients’ acute admission to hospital

• Health checks were offered for all patients over the age of 75 who had not seen a clinician in the previous 12 months.

• Patients were signposted to other local services for access to additional support, particularly for those who were isolated or lonely

• The practice participated in the CCG Care Home Scheme and employed a Care Home Nurse to visit local care homes and liaise between the care home and the GP’s.

Updated 14 July 2017

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

• The needs of these patients 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 offered a range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs for this age group.
• Health checks were offered to patients aged between 40 and 74 who had not seen a GP in the last three years.
• Students were offered public health recommended vaccinations prior to attending university.
• Travel health advice and vaccinations were available.
• The practice utilised electronic booking of appointments, prescribing and telephone appointments to provide improved access for working people.
• Some extended hours appointments were available.
• Minor surgery and joint injections were available as clinically indicated.

Updated 14 July 2017

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

• The practice regularly worked with multidisciplinary teams in the case management of people in this population group, for example the local mental health team.
• Longer appointments were available for patients with a mental health condition.
• Patients and/or their carer were given information on how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs or dementia and offered flexible appointments.
• Deprivations of Liberty Safeguards were written in the patient’s clinical notes.
• The practice used the support of voluntary organisations to develop additional services for their patients.
• Patients on the mental health register were called for annual review which included a physical check, and checks to ensure that any secondary care involvement was understood by the patient.

Updated 14 July 2017

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

• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in children, young people and adults whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. They were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in normal working hours and out of hours.
• The practice could evidence a number of children who were on a child protection plan (this is a plan which identifies how health and social care professionals will work together to help to keep a child safe).
• Patients who had a learning disability received an annual review of their health needs and a care plan was put in place. Carers of these patients were also encouraged to attend, were offered a health review and signposted to other services as needed.
• Longer appointments were offered to people with a learning disability.
• Travellers who frequently set up camp near the surgery were actively encouraged to access healthcare.
• Both surgery sites had wheelchair access and hearing loops
• The practice encouraged carers to make themselves known to the practice and become registered with Carers Leeds.
• We saw there was information available on how patients could access various local support groups and voluntary organisations.