Hollyoaks Medical Centre

Updated 23 March 2018

Hollyoaks Medical Centre in Wythall Birmingham provides general medical services to approximately 4,540 patients and is in Redditch and Bromsgrove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The practice population is in the least deprived decile in England. The proportion of children registered at the practice who live in income deprived households is 8%, which is lower than the CCG average of 14%, and for older people the practice value is 8%, which is also lower than the CCG average of 14%. The practice has a higher than average number of patients over the age of 65 (30% in total).

The practice operates under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract, and is signed up to a number of local and national enhanced services (enhanced services require an enhanced level of service provision above what is normally required under the core GP contract).

The practice is managed by a single-handed GP supported by two salaried GPs, a practice manager, two practice nurses, a nurse practitioner, a healthcare assistant, plus receptionists and other staff who provide administrative support.

The practice reception is open between 8:30am and 6:30pm Monday to Friday and provides extended hours on a Wednesday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm. Appointments were available throughout this time other than 1pm to 2pm on a Tuesday. During this period they had a duty doctor covering.

When the practice is closed patients are directed to contact the local out of hours service (Care UK) via 111.

The practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide the regulated activities of diagnostic and screening services; maternity and midwifery services; treatment of disease, disorder or injury; surgical procedures; and family planning.

Updated 23 March 2018

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hollyoaks Medical Centre on 9 February 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes by discussing them at their monthly meetings.

• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

• The practice had a comprehensive programme of quality improvement activity and routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care provided.

• The practice responded to the needs of its population and offered daily home visit sessions and daily nursing home visits due to the large number of older patients registered at the practice.

• The practice offered the carers at the residential homes looking after their registered patients the chance to register as a temporary patient and have the flu vaccination. In the last year 19 carers from the care homes did so.

• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation. Staff were encouraged to develop.

• The practice was very proactive in diagnosing and initiating treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. The practice had purchased two machines with which AF could be diagnosed and then treatment could be started within hours instead of sending patients to secondary care where it would take longer.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice