Alrewas Surgery

Updated 8 January 2015

Alrewas Surgery is located in the village of Alrewas and provides primary medical services to patients who live in the following areas:  Alrewas, Fradley, Bromley Hayes, Kings Bromley, Orgreave, Croxall, Wychnor, Catton, Edingale, Harlaston, Lullington and Elford.

The practice has three permanent GPs (one male and two female), two GP registrars, a practice manager, two nurse practitioners and one practice nurse, two healthcare assistants, and reception and administrative staff.  There are 5658 patients registered with the practice.  The practice is open from 8.15am to 5.45pm Monday to Friday, although the practice is closed from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on a Monday.  The practice offers extended hours on Monday evenings from 6.30pm to 8pm.  Patients can access the service for routine appointments from 8.30am.  The practice treats patients of all ages and provides a range of medical services.  Alrewas Surgery has a higher percentage of its practice population in the 65 and over age group than the England average.

The practice provides a number of clinics for example long term condition management including asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. It offers child immunisations, minor surgery and travel health.  The practice also provides a minor injury and phlebotomy service. 

Alrewas Surgery has a General Medical Services contract. 

Alrewas Surgery is a training practice for GP Registrars.  GP registrars are doctors who undertake additional training to gain experience and higher qualifications in general practice and family medicine.        

Alrewas Surgery does not provide an out-of-hours service to its own patients but has alternative arrangements for patients to be seen when the practice is closed.

Updated 8 January 2015

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We inspected this service on 29 October 2014 as part of our new comprehensive inspection programme.

The overall rating for this service is good. We found the practice to be good in the safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led domains. We found the practice provided good care to older people, people with long term conditions, families, children and young people, the working age population and those recently retired, people in vulnerable circumstances and people experiencing poor mental health. 

Our key findings were as follows:

• Patients were kept safe because there were arrangements in place for staff to report and learn from key safety risks. The practice had a system in place for reporting, recording and monitoring significant events over time.
• The practice had recognised that access to appointments had been highlighted in the patient survey and was working with the Patient Participation Group (PPG) to address this.  The appointment system had been amended to provide more on the day appointments. 
• There were systems in place to keep patients safe from the risk and spread of infection.
• Evidence we reviewed demonstrated that patients were satisfied with how they were treated and that this was with compassion, dignity and respect.  It also demonstrated that the GPs were good at listening to patients and gave them enough time.
• Staff were all clear about their own roles and responsibilities, and felt valued, well supported and knew who to go to in the practice with any concerns. 

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements. 

The provider should:

• Ensure that all equipment at the practice is serviced and calibrated.
• Review the risks associated with disruption to the cold chain and consider the need for a validated cool box for transporting vaccines. 
• Review the emergency equipment / medication available in the practice to ensure that it is required. 
• Review the referral process to secondary care services to ensure consistency and timeliness across the GPs. 

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 8 January 2015

The practice is rated as good for the population group of people with long term conditions.  We found that the staff had the knowledge, skills and competencies to respond to the needs of patients with a long term condition such as diabetes and asthma.  The practice maintained registers of patients with long term conditions.  We found robust systems in place to ensure that all patients with a long term condition received regular reviews and health checks at a time suitable to them.  Patients were invited for a review of all of their long term conditions in the month of their birth.  Staff were proactive in following up patients who did not make appointments for their reviews. 

Updated 8 January 2015

The practice is rated as good for the population group of families, children and young people.  We saw that the practice provided services to meet the needs of this population group.  Urgent appointments were available for children who were unwell.  Staff were knowledgeable about how to safeguard children from the risk of abuse.  Systems were in place identifying children who were at risk, and there was a good working relationship with the health visitor attached to the practice.  The health visitor also attended the clinical meetings at the practice.  There were effective screening and vaccination programmes in place to support patients and health promotion advice was provided.  Information was available to young people regarding sexual health and family planning advice was provided by staff at the practice.  New mothers and babies were offered an integrated eight week check, where they saw the GP, practice nurse and health visitor.  Antenatal clinics were also held at the practice.   

Updated 8 January 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.  Every patient over the age of 75 years had been notified of their named GP.  This ensured continuity of care for patients over 75 years of age.  The practice had identified vulnerable older patients and had developed individual care plans to support patients to ensure their care needs were made and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.  These care plans are in the process of being shared with the out of hour’s provider.  Patient notes identified when patients were also carers.  The practice worked in partnership with the community nursing team, including the community matron to support older patients receiving a service.  Influenza and shingles vaccinations were offered to older patients according to national guidance for older people.  Patients were made aware of these campaigns through the practice newsletter, the website and the parish magazine. 

Updated 8 January 2015

The practice is rated as good for the population group of the working-age people (including those who have recently retired and students).  The practice offered a range of appointments which included pre-bookable appointments, on the day, urgent appointments, as well as telephone consultations.  The practice offered extended hours one evening a week.  The practice was pro-active in offering on line services as well as offering a full range of health promotion and screening services with reflected the needs of this age group.  The practice offered all patients aged 40 to 75 years old a health check with the practice nurse.  Family planning services were provided by the practice for women of working age.  Diagnostic tests, such as electrocardiograms (ECG) and routine blood tests were carried out at the practice.  Flu clinics were held on Saturdays.

Updated 8 January 2015

The practice is rated as good for the population group experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).  The practice held registers of patients with mental health needs, including depression and dementia.  Patients experiencing poor mental health received an annual health review to ensure appropriate treatment and support was in place.  Patients were referred to the Primary Care Mental Health (PCMH) Team and patients were seen at the practice if appropriate.  The PCMH worker visited the practice weekly, offering on to one sessions. This enabled patients to receive counselling and treatment in surroundings that were familiar to them.

Updated 8 January 2015

This practice is rated as good for the population group of people who circumstances make them vulnerable.  We found that the practice enabled all patients to access their GP services. Staff told us that they supported those who were in temporary residence or lived on narrow boats nearby to register with the practice.  For example, the hospital appointments for one patient of no fixed abode were delivered to the practice, and staff sent a text message to inform the patient.  The practice held a register of patients with a learning disability.  The practice carried out annual health checks for people with learning disabilities. 

The practice was able to sign post vulnerable patients to various support groups and third sector organisations.  Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in and out of hours.