Berrymead Medical Centre

Background to this inspection

Updated 22 March 2017

Berrymead Medical Centre is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services. The practice provides GP services for approximately 7900 patients living in St Helens and is situated across two purpose built medical centres. Patients can visit either of the medical centres and staff work across both sites.

The practice has four male GPs, three female practice nurses, one healthcare assistant, administration and reception staff and a practice management team.

Berrymead Medical Centre holds a Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract with NHS England.

The practice is open Monday - Friday 8.30am – 6.30pm. Extended hours services are provided on alternate Saturday mornings (8.30am – 12.30pm). Patients can book appointments in person, via the telephone or online. The practice provides telephone consultations, pre-bookable consultations, urgent consultations and home visits. The practice treats patients of all ages and provides a range of primary medical services.

The practice is part of St Helen’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and is situated in an area with higher than average levels of deprivation. A higher than average percentage of patients (69%) have a long standing health condition. Life expectancy for both males and females is lower than the CCG and national average.

The practice does not provide out of hours services. When the surgery is closed patients are directed to the GP out of hour’s service provider (St Helens Rota) and NHS 111.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 22 March 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Berrymead Medical Centre on 13 September 2016. The overall rating for the practice was ‘requires improvement’. This was because we judged the practice as ‘requires improvement’ for being safe and for being well-led. The full comprehensive report on the September 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Berrymead Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 20 February 2017. The inspection was carried out to check that the provider had met the legal requirements we set out following the September 2016 visit. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Our key findings were as follows:

Improvements had been made to the governance systems to ensure that the quality of services was assessed, monitored and improved. These included; carrying out a health and safety related risk assessment that included control measures, reviewing the arrangements for clinical audit, the creation of a business continuity plan (emergency contingency plan) to manage unforeseen events or major incidents, improved structure and recording of practice meetings to promote good governance and the dissemination of information.
The provider had reviewed health and safety related policies and procedures.
An electrical installation safety test had been carried out.
A fire safety risk assessment had been carried out and new fire safety checks had been introduced.
A Legionella risk assessment had been undertaken and control measures were in place to prevent Legionella.
A practice specific infection control policy and procedure had been implemented.
The provider had introduced a system to ensure that all prescription pads were stored securely and accounted for.

As a result of the actions taken the practice is now rated as ‘good’ for providing a safe service and a well-led service. Overall the practice is therefore now rated as good.

We also found that the provider had made a number of improvements to the service in response to recommendations we made at our last inspection. These included;

Improvements in patient access to appointments and the telephone system.
Staff recruitment records had been improved to include documenting staff interviews and staff induction.
A documented schedule had been introduced for the cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment and clinical rooms.
A periodic review of complaints and significant events had been introduced in order to identify themes and trends.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)

Chief Inspector of General Practice