Archived: Abbey Lane Surgery

Updated 23 March 2016

Abbey Lane surgery is situated in the Woodseats area of Sheffield which is an area of low deprivation. The practice is situated in a converted property across three floors and is currently being updated. There is no patient parking on site but street parking is available adjacent to the practice. The surgery offers clinics including; weight loss, mental health care, smoking cessation and pre-natal clinics with the midwife. There is disabled access to the rear of the building and direct bus transport links to the city centre. There are two partner GPs (both female), one practice nurse (female) and a health care assistant (female) and a mental health support worker.

The practice is open at 8.30am until midday and 2pm until 6pm on Monday to Friday. Appointments are between 8.30am and 10.20am and 2pm until 5pm Monday to Wednesday and between 8.30am and 10.10am on and 3pm until 5pm on Thursday and Friday. Extended surgery hours are offered through early morning or late evening appointments on alternate weeks. The practice is closed on Thursday afternoons, Out of hours services are provided by 111 services if the practice is closed. The practice has a list size of 2956.

Updated 23 March 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Abbey Lane Surgery on 11 January 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said they 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 had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The practice had a number of policies and procedures to govern activity, but some of these were overdue a review.
• The practice had measures in place to ensure that staff had access to relevant training, however some staff had not received safeguarding training in the last year.
• The practice should ensure that the tracking of patient histology is in accordance with NHS policy guidance.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 23 March 2016

• Nursing staff had lead roles in long term condition management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.
• The percentage of patients on the diabetes register, with a record of a foot examination and a risk classification within the preceding 12 months was comparable to other practices at 92% but higher than the national average of 88%.
• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.
• All these patients had a named GP and 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.

Updated 23 March 2016

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of Accident and Emergency attendances. Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.
• The percentage of patients with asthma, on the register, who have had an asthma review in the preceding 12 months that includes an assessment of asthma control was comparable to other practices at 73% and the national average of 75%.
• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals, and we saw evidence to confirm this.
• The percentage of women aged 25-64 whose notes record that a cervical screening test has been performed in the preceding 5 years was 96% and higher than the national average of 81%.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.
• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses.

Updated 23 March 2016

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.
• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

Updated 23 March 2016

• The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care.
• The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.

Updated 23 March 2016

• All patients diagnosed as living with dementia had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which is higher the national average of 84%.
• All patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses had a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in the record in the preceding 12 months, which is higher than the national average of 88%.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those living with dementia.
• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients living with dementia.
• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations. Patients have access to a mental health worker at the practice two days each week.
• The practice had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.
• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia

Updated 23 March 2016

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including homeless people, travellers and those with a learning disability.
• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.
• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff 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.