The Birches Medical Practice

Updated 25 April 2016

The practice shares occupancy of the Ironstone Centre in Scunthorpe with other practices and healthcare providers. A community car park with associated fees is located outside of the Centre. The practice has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract and has 9286 patients on the practice list. The practice is a GP Training Practice. The majority of patients are of white British background. The largest proportion of patients is in the birth to four year age range and 20 to 34 year age range.

The practice scored two on the deprivation measurement scale, which is the second highest decile. The overall practice deprivation score is higher than the England average (the practice is 38.5 and the England average is 23.6). People living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services.

The practice has six male GPs and one female GP. There are four partners and three long-term locum GPs. There are two nurse practitioners, two practice nurses, two health care assistants and an acute care practitioner. There is a practice manager, a senior administrator and eight receptionists.

The practice is open Monday to Friday 8am to 6.30pm and from 6.30pm to 8pm Monday. Patients requiring a GP outside of normal working hours are advised to phone the local GP Emergency Centre or NHS 111.

Updated 25 April 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Birches Medical Practice on 25 February 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.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• 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 and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively 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.
• The practice should record the outcome of the assessment of a patient’s mental capacity to consent to care or treatment.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 25 April 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.
• 93% of patients on the diabetes register had a record of a foot examination and risk classification within the preceding 12 months compared to the national average 88%.
• 88% of patients with diabetes, on the register, had influenza immunisation in the preceding 1 August to 31 March (01/04/2014 to 31/03/2015) compared to the national average 94%
• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.
• All these patients had a named GP and an 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 25 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 similar to the national averages for all standard childhood immunisations.
• 81% of patients diagnosed with asthma, on the register, had an asthma review in the last 12 months compared to the national average of 75%
• 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.
• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 79% which was comparable to the national average of 82%.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

Updated 25 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.

Updated 25 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 reflected the needs for this age group.

Updated 25 April 2016

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

• 87% 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 (84%)
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.
• The practice should ensure that patients experiencing poor mental health are told how to access 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 25 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, travellers and those with a learning disability.
• The practice offered longer appointments and carried out annual health checks 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 regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in normal working hours and out of hours.