Fordhouses Medical Centre

Background to this inspection

Updated 26 June 2017

Fordhouses Medical Centre is located in a residential area of Wolverhampton. The practice provides medical services to approximately 3,424 patients over two sites. The main practice is based at 68 Marsh Lane, Wolverhampton WV10 6RU and the branch practice is located at Pendeford Health Centre, Whitburn Close, Pendeford, Wolverhampton WV9 5NJ. There is level access and services are provided to patients on the ground floor of the premises. Although the practice is small, all areas on the ground floor are accessible by patients with mobility difficulties, patients who use a wheelchair and families with pushchairs or prams.

The staff team at the practice consists of one lead GP (female), who is full time and works ten sessions across the two practices. Two regular locum GPs, both female have recently been appointed to work part time. A nurse practitioner and a health care assistant who both work part time support the GPs. The clinical staff are supported by a business manager, an administrative manager, and five receptionist/administration staff. In total there are 12 staff employed part time and the lead GP works full time.

The main practice is open Monday and Friday between 8am and 6.30pm. The branch practice is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am to 6pm and Thursday from 9am to 1pm. The practice does not provide an out of hours service to its patients but has alternative arrangements for patients to be seen when the practice is closed. Patients are directed to the out of hours service provided by Vocare via the NHS 111 service.

The practice has a General Medical Services contract with NHS England to provide medical services. It provides Directed Enhanced Services, such as minor surgery, baby checks, childhood immunisations and care of patients with chronic diseases.

The practice has a significantly higher young population compared to the average across England. There is a high number of female patients aged four and below and 54 years and male patients aged four and below and 29 years. The practice is located in one of the most deprived areas of Wolverhampton. People living in more deprived areas tend to have a greater need for health services. There is a higher practice value for income deprivation affecting children and older people in comparison to the practice average across England. The level of income deprivation affecting children of 29% is higher than the national average of 20%. The level of income deprivation affecting older people is higher than the local and England average (Local average 25% and England average 16%).

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 26 June 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Fordhouses Medical Centre on 13 July 2016. A total of two breaches of legal requirements were found. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice was rated as requires improvement.

We issued requirement notices in relation to:

Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014 Safe care and treatment.
Regulation 17 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Good Governance

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Fordhouses Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 10 April 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified at our previous inspection on 13 July 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection

Our key findings were as follows:

Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. There was a lack of detail in records to confirm discussions that had taken place.
Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. The practice had improved its procedures to ensure appropriate recruitment checks had been completed, DBS checks had been carried out.
Staff training records had been updated and staff appraisals, competency checks and supervision completed.
Procedures had been reviewed and systems introduced to ensure the safe management of medicine safety alerts.
A full legionella risk assessment had been completed and any recommendations made acted on.
Complaint leaflets were appropriately placed to ensure patients had easy access.
The practice had looked at ways to pro-actively identify carers and establish what support they need. This included ensuring information was readily available and checking with patients when they attended appointments.

At this inspection we found that the practice had addressed all the concerns raised and is now rated as good for providing safe and well-led services.

There were areas of practice where the provider should still make improvements:

Ensure national guidelines for children who do not attend for hospital events are followed at all times.
Ensure that records detailing significant events are fully completed to confirm the proactive and ongoing review of all events and include details of who the learning from events were shared with.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)

Chief Inspector of General Practice