Archived: Oakwood Medical Centre

Oakwood Medical Centre is a GP surgery which provides primary medical care and a range of services including maternity care, sexual health and minor surgery clinics to over 7000 people in the Enfield area of north London. It is open Monday- Friday 8am to 6.30 pm and on Saturday mornings. Outside of these times an out of hours service is available.

Before our inspection we talked to a range of health and social care professionals in the community who engaged with patients from Oakwood Medical Centre. These included pharmacists, community matron and care home managers. We talked to three members of the Patient Participation Group (PPG). On the day of the inspection we observed staff talking to patients and spoke to three non-clinical staff including the practice manager, two nurses and three doctors including the clinical lead. We reviewed practice management and staff files, and 17 comment cards which patients had posted on the reception desk.

The regulated activities we inspected were diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, surgical procedures, treatment of disease and disorder or injury and maternity and midwifery services.

The practice had systems in place to protect patients from avoidable harm and abuse. Significant adverse events (SAEs) were reviewed and key learning points shared with staff. Care and treatment was delivered in line with recognised best practice standards such as NICE guidelines. The practice worked effectively with other healthcare providers in the community such as care homes. Staff approached people in a person centred way and they tried to accommodate people’s different needs. One patient with learning disabilities found it difficult to remember their medical appointments so staff telephoned them on the day to remind them to attend.

There were systems in place to monitor and improve quality. The practice had received adverse comments in patient surveys about telephone access to the surgery and the appointments system. In response to this staff had introduced a number of changes such as extending surgery hours, online booking and more staff at peak times to answer phones. The practice actively involved patients by responding to their comments on the NHS Choices website and responding to suggestions made by the PPG and in patient surveys.

There was a clear leadership and governance structure and staff aimed to provide a person-centred service.

Older people were offered annual health checks and worked with multidisciplinary teams to improve and coordinate their care.

People with long term conditions such as diabetes and learning disabilities received regular reviews of their health and medication at the practice.

The practice provided regular family planning and sexual health clinics as well as appointments for teenagers who requested confidential advice on contraception and sexual health.

The practice responded to the needs of working age people and those recently retired by changing and reviewing the appointments system to improve access.

Staff accommodated and changed their procedures to serve the needs of vulnerable people who had poor access to primary care.

A nurse-led service was provided for people with poor mental health and clinical staff worked closely with the local community mental health teams and psychiatrists.