Swanlow Medical Centre

Updated 14 March 2019

Swanlow Medical Centre is located in Winsford, Cheshire. The practice website address is www.swanlowmedicalcentre.co.uk. The practice is part of NHS Vale Royal Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract. The practice is located in a purpose-built facility, which it shares with other GP practices and community health services.

At this practice there are four GP partners and two salaried GPs. There are two advanced nurse practitioners, one practice nurse and a health care assistant. Clinicians are supported by a practice manager (who is also a partner) and reception and administration staff. The practice is a training practice for GP registrars.

Swanlow Medical Centre is registered with the Care Quality Commission to carry out the following regulated activities: Diagnostic and screening procedures, Family planning, Maternity and midwifery services, Surgical procedures, Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The practice is based in a more economically deprived area when compared to other practices nationally.

The practice provides a service to approximately 10,297 patients. The practice is open 7am to 8pm Monday and Tuesday, 7am to 6.30pm Wednesday and Thursday, 8am to 6.30pm on Friday and from 8am to 12pm alternate Saturdays. Extended hours services are also available to patients through two community hub services and a paediatric appointment service is available to patients from five Winsford GP practices from 3pm to 6pm Monday to Friday. Patients are directed to telephone 111 for GP services outside of normal operating hours with some out of hours appointments being available in the same building as the practice.

Updated 14 March 2019

We carried out an inspection at Swanlow Medical Centre on 20 November 2018 as part of our inspection programme. The overall rating for the practice was Good, however we rated the practice as Requires Improvement for safe. The full comprehensive report on the November 2018 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Swanlow Medical Centre on our website at .

This inspection was a desk-based review carried out on 14 February 2019 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 in our previous inspection on 20 November 2018. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is now rated as Good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The system for recruiting staff had been reviewed to ensure only fit and proper persons were employed.
• The provider was able to demonstrate that all staff had received training in fire safety and infection control suitable for their role. 

The provider had taken action to address the areas where we advised them that improvements should be made:

• The practice was monitoring the training needs of staff with particular regard to safeguarding children and adults and infection control. A designated member of staff was monitoring and taking appropriate action to ensure staff had appropriate time and resources to complete required training.
• Appropriate signage was in place to direct the Fire Brigade to the storage of the oxygen. 
• The practice had developed clear areas of responsibility with the other practice in the building with regard to the roles and responsibilities of Fire Marshalls.
• The practice had introduced monthly cleaning spot checks on a sample of clinical rooms and communal areas to support their infection control systems and processes.
• The practice held a copy of the annual review of complaints that supported the identification of trends and patterns.
• The practice had introduced a formal system for reviewing the practise of clinical staff to ensure consultations, referrals and prescribing were appropriate.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 15 January 2019

Updated 15 January 2019

Updated 15 January 2019

Updated 15 January 2019

Updated 15 January 2019

Updated 15 January 2019