Ashcroft Surgery

Updated 5 October 2016

Ashcroft Surgery provides services for 8,767 patients. The practice is located at:

Ashcroft Surgery

Newlands Way

Eccleshill

Bradford

BD10 0JE

The surgery is situated within the Bradford District Clinical Commissioning group and is registered with Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide primary medical services under the terms of a personal medical services (PMS) contract. This is a contract between general practices and NHS England for delivering services to the local community.

They offer a range of enhanced services such as childhood immunisations and acupuncture, improving patient access on line and enhanced services for patients with a learning disability.

There is a higher than average number of patients under the age of 39, in common with the characteristics of the Bradford District area. There are fewer patients aged over 45 than the national average. The National General Practice Profile states that 72% of the practice population is from a White background with a further 8% of the population originating from black, mixed or non-white ethnic groups. The practice has also identified that they have a growing number of patients who are from an Eastern European background.

Clinical sessions at the practice are covered by four partner GPs and two salaried GPs, four male and two female. The practice also has a four practice nurses and four health care assistants.

The clinical team is supported by a practice manager, an assistant manager and a team of administrative staff. The practice also benefits from the services of a pharmacist.

The practice catchment area is classed as being within one of the most deprived areas in England. People living in more deprived areas tend to have a greater need for health services. The practice informed us they had a high birth rate within their population and also high rates of illiteracy amongst some of their patients.

The practice is situated within a purpose built building with car parking available. It has disabled access and facilities.

Reception was open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm except on a Thursday 1pm to 3.30pm when the practice was closed for training. (Only emergency telephone calls between 11.30am and 1pm and Thursday 11.30am to 4pm) with appointments available between these times. The practice also run an appointment based Monday evening surgery 6.30pm to 8.45pm.

When the surgery is closed patients can access the NHS 111 service for non –urgent medical advice.

Updated 5 October 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Ashcroft Surgery on 16 August 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. We saw that development and learning was prioritised by the practice and staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment during consultations with their GP.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients we spoke with on the day said it was easy to make an appointment with their preferred GP. Urgent appointments were 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 and staff felt supported by management. Staff told us that they would feel confident to raise any concerns with the lead GP or practice manager.
• The practice sought feedback from patients and the Patient Participation Group (PPG), which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
• The practice had developed a medication monitoring template and a DMARD (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) initiation and monitoring template, which were in the process of being used district wide via the CCG.
• The policies and protocols were available for public viewing via the practice website and were clearly written, in particular the bereavement policy and actions.
• One of the GPs had written the book ‘The Essential Handbook for GP Training and Education’ which is widely used throughout the UK.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 5 October 2016

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority. Nursing staff were encouraged to develop competencies and skills to lead in the management of long term conditions.
• Patients diagnosed with diabetes were offered longer, 20 minute appointments, so that they could discuss all aspects of their condition.
• Outcomes for diabetes related indicators were comparable to other practices. For example the percentage of patients on the register who had a flu immunisation in the preceding 12 months was 98% compared to the CCG average of 96% and the national average of 94%.
• 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.

Updated 5 October 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. Vulnerable children, young people and vulnerable family groups were discussed and reviewed in a multidisciplinary meeting every month.
• Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.
• 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. Children could be seen by the nurse outside of school hours until 6pm in the evening. The premises were suitable for children and babies.
• Patients at the practice were signposted to the pharmacy first scheme. This allows people who receive free prescriptions to go straight to their pharmacist to receive treatment without needing to visit their GP first to get a prescription.
• The percentage of women who had undergone a cervical screening test was 88% which was higher than the CCG average of 77% and comparable to the national average of 82%.
• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses. The practice offered joint eight week baby checks where mothers and babies could be seen at the same time.

Updated 5 October 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 urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.
• The practice offered home visits for older people and this was supported by a home visits protocol.
• Flu vaccinations were offered to older patients in their own homes by the practice nurse. The uptake for vaccinations in patients over 65 years old was 83% compared to 96% CCG and 94% national averages.

Updated 5 October 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.
• The practice would contact patients by telephone the day before they were due to attend the surgery and send an SMS text message to remind them of their appointment on the day.
• Telephone consultations were available for patients who could not attend the surgery.
• The practice offered an extended hours clinic until 8.45pm on a Monday.

Updated 5 October 2016

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

• The most recently published QOF results showed that 96% of patients diagnosed with dementia had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which was higher than the CCG and national average of 84%.
• Data showed that 93% of patients with a mental health issue had their smoking status recorded in their notes in the preceding 12 months, and the same percentage of patients had an agreed and documented care plan.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those 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 when 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 5 October 2016

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

• The practice were aware of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including homeless people, travellers, carers and those with a learning disability.
• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability, long term conditions or those who required an interpreter.
• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.
• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations. Patients were able to access a benefits advisor at the surgery one morning per week.
• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. All the staff we spoke with on the day of inspection 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.