Background to this inspection
Updated
27 March 2020
The Greens Health Centre is a long-established practice located in the Dudley area of the West Midlands. The surgery has good transport links and there is a pharmacy (independent of the practice) within the building.
The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic & screening procedures, treatment of disease, disorder or injury, maternity and midwifery services, surgical procedures and family planning.
The Greens Health Centre is situated within the Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and provides services to approximately 7,563 patients under the terms of a General Medical Services (GMS) contract. A GMS contract is a contract between NHS England and general practices for delivering general medical services to the local community.
Parking is available on-site and a chaperone service is available for patients who request the service. This is advertised throughout the practice.
The practice employs four full-time GP partners (one female, three male) and three practice nurses. The practice was supported by members of the Dudley CCCG pharmacy team. The clinical team were supported by a practice manager, two deputy practice managers and a team of reception and administration staff.
The general practice profile shows that the percentage of patients with a long-standing health condition is 67.1% which is higher than the local CCG average of 55.2% and national average of 51.2%. The national general practice profile states that 86.7% of the practice population is from a white ethnic background with a further 13.3% of the population originating from black, Asian, mixed or other non-white ethnic groups. Information published by Public Health England, rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as one, on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest.
The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday with extended hours on Mondays between 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Home visits are available for patients who are too ill to attend the practice for appointments.
The practice does not provide out of hours services to their own patients. When the practice is closed patients are directed to contact West Midlands Ambulance Service via 111.
The practice website can be viewed at: www.thegreenshealthcentre.com
Updated
27 March 2020
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Greens Health Centre on 27 February 2020 as part of our inspection programme.
At this inspection we followed up on breaches of regulations identified at a previous inspection on 11 March 2019. At the last inspection in March 2019 we rated the practice as requires improvement overall.
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 and good for all of the population groups except working age people (including those recently retired and students) as requires improvement because:
- There were clearly defined and embedded systems, processes and practices in place to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse.
- Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care, support and treatment.
- Staff worked together and with other organisations to deliver effective care and treatment
- Patients needs were assessed and care and treatment was delivered in line with current legislation.
- The practice used clinical audit as a method of identifying where improvements were required.
- Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
- The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs.
- The practice had a clear vision and set of values that prioritised quality and sustainability.
- There were clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management.
- There were clear and effective processes for managing risks, issues and performance.
We have rated the population group of working age people (including those recently retired and students) as requires improvement because:
- Cancer rates including cervical screening were below the national averages and action taken had not yet demonstrated improved outcomes.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Review the training arrangements to support reception staff to identify potential serious medical conditions that should be referred to a clinician immediately.
- Continue work to increase the uptake for cervical, breast and bowel screening.
- Embed a system for clinical supervision and clinical meetings for nurses in the practice.
- Continue work to identify and support carers registered in the practice.
- Ensure information on how to complain is visible for patients in the practice.
- Continue with steps to engage with a patient participation group.
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