Background to this inspection
Updated
20 December 2018
Southway Surgery which is situated in the city of Plymouth. The practice is comprised of one site. The address of the practice is 33 Rockfield Avenue, Southway, Plymouth, Devon. PL6 6DX.
We visited this site during our inspection. The practice provides a service to approximately 5,600 patients of a diverse age group and offers the following regulated activities:
Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
Diagnostic and screening procedures
Maternity and midwifery services and
Surgical procedures
Family planning
The deprivation decile rating for this area is four (with one being the most deprived and 10 being the least deprived). The practice is located in a deprived area of Plymouth. The 2011 census data showed that 98% of the local population identified themselves as being White British. The mix of male and female patients were equal.
There is a team of four GP partners and one regular locum GP who was due to start the practice as a salaried GP when two of the current GP partners leave. The GP team were supported by a practice manager, a nurse prescriber, practice nurse, one health care assistant, a phlebotomist and additional administration staff.
Patients using the practice also have access to health visitors, counsellors, carer support workers, district nurses and midwives who are co-located at the practice. Other health care professionals visited the practice on a regular basis.
The premises are open from 7.45-6pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, between 8am-9pm on Wednesdays and between 8am-6pm on Thursdays and Fridays. Outside of these times patients are directed to contact the out of hour’s service and the NHS 111 number. This is in line with local contract arrangements.
The practice offers a range of appointment types including urgent face to face same day triage appointments, face to face routine appointments and advance appointments (two to three months in advance) as well as online services such as e consultations, access to records, online appointments and repeat prescription requests.
Updated
20 December 2018
This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating January 2016 – Good)
The key questions at this inspection are rated as:
Are services safe? – Good
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Good
Are services well-led? - Good
We carried out an announced comprehensive at Southway Surgery on 5 December 2018 as part of our inspection programme.
At this inspection we found:
- The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice recognised where systems and processes had worked well and improved their processes where appropriate.
- The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
- Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it. For example, the practices GP patient survey results demonstrated a positive variation compared with local and national averages for questions relating to access to care and treatment.
- Patients were proactively signposted to local clubs such as social prescribing charities, lunch clubs at the local church, tea dances, keep fit classes and art classes to reduce social isolation and increase well being.
- There was a strong focus on continuous learning, improvement and involvement at all levels of the organisation.
- Staff feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Staff acknowledged that the practice was a busy place to work but added that it was a good place to work.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Continue to review multidisciplinary communication and working relationships to improve awareness of practice and local child safeguarding issues.
- Review governance systems to ensure accurate records are kept which reflect the action and discussion held at review.
- Consider increasing the clinical audit and quality improvement programme.
- Review ways all staff have an opportunity to participate in feedback about the practice.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice
Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.