Woodbrook Medical Centre

Updated 28 April 2017

Woodbrook Medical Centre provides primary medical services to approximately 9374 patients through a general medical services contract (GMS). The medical centre is located in the centre of Loughborough and the registered population lives in areas such as Quorn, Nanpantan, Hathern and Hoton.

The practice has been providing services from its current premises since 1986. The premises were extended in 1997 to enable the practice to expand the services offered. All patient services are provided on the ground floor of the building and this includes an attached pharmacy managed by an independent provider. The practice has limited car parking facilities and is accessible by public transport.

The registered patient population is predominantly of white British background and also includes a significant number of patients of Asian ethnicity (about 10%), Polish and Romanian nationals. The level of deprivation within the practice population is below the national average with the practice population falling into the sixth most deprived decile.

The clinical team comprises of five GP partners (three male and two female), a salaried GP (female), a nurse practitioner, three practice nurses and two healthcare assistants. The clinical team is supported by a full time practice manager and a team of reception and administrative staff.

The practice is an approved teaching and training practice for medical students and GP trainees (a qualified doctor who is completing training to become a GP). At the time of inspection the practice had three GP trainees in post.

The practice opens from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and appointments are available within these hours. The practice has opted out of providing out-of-hours services to its own patients. When the practice is closed patients are directed to contact the 111 service.  

Updated 28 April 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Woodbrook Medical Centre on 14 December 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 a system was in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The practice had effective systems in place to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
• Risks to patients were assessed and generally well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
• Regular clinical audits were undertaken within the practice to drive improvement.
• The practice worked effectively with the wider multi-disciplinary team to plan and deliver integrated care for patients with complex needs.
• Feedback from most patients was that they were treated with kindness, dignity and respect and were involved in decisions about their care.
• Most patients found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice continued to review access and sought to improve the level of service they offered to patients in response to patient feedback.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. The strategy to deliver this vision was regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
• The practice reviewed and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and the patient participation group.

• The practice team was forward thinking and took part in local pilot schemes to improve outcomes for patients. This included setting up the musculoskeletal referral support service (MSK triage) in the local area and development of Cancer Maps, as an interactive reference tool for cancer guidelines.

The areas where the provider should improve:

• The practice should continue to ensure that action plans and improvements made from infection control audits are monitored and recorded.

• The practice should ensure plans in place for all staff to complete training at the recommended frequency determined by the provider are monitored.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 28 April 2017

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

• All these patients had a named GP and there was a system to recall patients for 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.

• Patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority and discussed at regular multi-disciplinary meetings to plan and deliver care appropriate to their needs.

• There were emergency processes for patients with long-term conditions who experienced a sudden deterioration in health.

• Nursing staff had lead roles in long-term disease management and worked in collaboration with community specialist nurses to deliver integrated care.

• The practice monitored the needs of patients at risk of developing diabetes and facilitated patient education.

• Patients could book a double or triple appointment if they wished to be seen for complex and / or more than one medical issue.

Updated 28 April 2017

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 those at risk of abuse and deteriorating health.

• The practice worked with midwives and health visitors to support this population group. For example, in the provision of ante-natal, post-natal and child health surveillance clinics.

• Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies. Baby changing facilities were available and the practice accommodated mothers who wished to breastfeed.

• The use of telephone triage and a flexible appointment system ensured that children could be seen on the same day when this was indicated.

• The practice had emergency processes for acutely ill children and young people, and minor illness appointments were available on the same day with the nurse practitioner.

• A full range of contraception services were available including coil fitting, insertion and removal of contraceptive implants.

Updated 28 April 2017

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

• Patients aged 75 years and over had a named GP to provide continuity of care.

• Home visits and urgent appointments were offered for older people with enhanced needs.

• The practice provided a weekly ward round at a local care home to manage chronic and acute conditions, with an added aim to avoid weekend hospital admissions.

• The practice followed up on older patients discharged from hospital and ensured that their care plans were updated to reflect any extra needs. Where older patients had complex needs, the practice shared summary care records with local care services.

• Influenza, pneumococcal and shingles vaccinations were offered in accordance with national guidance. A total of 73% of patients aged over 65 had received a flu vaccination which was in line with local and national averages.

• Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for conditions commonly found in older people, including rheumatoid arthritis and heart failure were in line with or above local and national averages.

Updated 28 April 2017

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

• The needs of this population group had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure they were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care. For example, extended hours appointments were offered to facilitate access for working patients, and patients had access to same day appointments and telephone consultations.

• The practice was proactive in offering online services including appointment booking and online prescription services.

• A range of health promotion and screening services that reflected the needs of this age group was offered and promoted.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 96.1%, which was comparable to the CCG average of 98.8% and the national average of 97.3%.

Updated 28 April 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 multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those living with dementia.

• The emotional needs of this population group was prioritised and patients had access to in-house counselling services and support from a mental health facilitator.

• Staff interviewed had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

• The practice had a system for monitoring repeat prescribing for patients receiving medicines for mental health needs and also followed up patients who had attended accident and emergency.

• 92% of patients with a mental health condition had a documented care plan in the last 12 months which was above the national average of 88% and below the local average of 94.5%.

• Patients at risk of dementia were identified and offered an assessment and staff carried out advance care planning for patients living with dementia.

• 78% of patients diagnosed with dementia had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months which was below the CCG average of 87% and national average of 84%.

Updated 28 April 2017

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 those with a learning disability and carers. Homeless people could also register with the practice.

• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability and facilitated annual health checks.

• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.

• End of life care was delivered in a coordinated way which took into account the needs of those whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• Information was available which informed vulnerable patients about how to access local and national support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Translation services were provided where these were required.

• Staff interviewed 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.