Background to this inspection
Updated
12 March 2020
Hednesford Medical Practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a sole GP provider. The practice provides primary medical services to approximately 2,600 registered patients. The practice is located at Hednesford Valley Health Centre, Station Road
Hednesford, Cannock, WS12 4DH. The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, surgical procedures, family planning, maternity and midwifery services and treatment of disease disorder or injury from this location only.
The practice is part of the NHS Cannock Chase Clinical Commissioning Group and holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. A GMS contract is a contract between NHS England and general practices for delivering general medical services and is the commonest form of GP contract.
The practice is in an area of average deprivation. Demographically the average life expectancy and age profile of patients is comparable with local and national averages. The percentage of patients with a long-term condition is 64.4% which is higher than the local CCG average of 55.7% and higher than the national average of 51.4%, meaning a higher demand for services. The National General Practice Profile describes the practice ethnicity as being 97.8% white British, 0.9% mixed race, 1% Asian, 0.3% black and 0.1% other non-white ethnicities.
The practice staffing comprises:
- One GP Partner (male) and one long-term locum GP (female).
- One advanced clinical practitioner and two practice nurses.
- One locum advanced clinical practitioner.
- One locum pharmacist.
- A practice manager, reception manager assisted by a team of four administrative and reception staff.
The practice core opening hours are Monday to Friday between 8am and 6.30pm. Patients can access extended hours appointments provided by the practice on a Tuesday evening until 7.30pm with a practice nurse and a pharmacist. Patients can also access additional extended hours GP appointments through the Cannock Practices Network based at Cannock Hospital and these can be booked in advance by calling the practice during usual opening hours. These appointments are available Monday to Friday 6.30pm to 8pm and on a Saturday and Sunday from 9am and 1pm.
When the practice is closed patients are directed towards the out of hours provider via the NHS 111 service. Routine appointments can be booked in person, by telephone or on-line. Home visits are available to patients with complex needs or who are unable to attend the practice.
Further details about the practice can be found by accessing the practice’s website at
www.hednesford-medical-practice.nhs.uk.
Updated
12 March 2020
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hednesford Medical Practice on 5 February 2020 following a change in Provider. Due to a change of provider post April 2019, continuing regulated history has been applied.
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- What we found when we inspected
- Information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- Information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hednesford Medical Practice on 18 January 2017. The overall rating was Requires Improvement. The practice was rated requires improvement for providing safe, caring and well-led services and good for providing effective and responsive services. We identified two breaches of legal requirements and served two requirement notices in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance. The report on the January 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Hednesford Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Following the retirement of one GP, the practice became a single-handed practice known and registered as Dr Chandra’s Surgery on 8 July 2017. Due to the GP being off work long-term, Dr Geeranavar oversaw the practice and became registered as an individual with CQC following the retirement of Dr Chandra.
We have rated this practice good overall and good for all population groups except for people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia), where we have rated this population group as requires improvement.
We rated the practice good overall because:
- Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs and was planned and delivered according to evidence-based guidelines.
- The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm. Some shortfalls we identified in providing safe services were promptly resolved by the provider.
- The practice had some evidence of quality improvement activity, however audits required further development.
- The practice understood the needs of its population and tailored services in response to those needs.
- The practice had identified 3% of patients as carers and supported and signposted carers to local support groups.
- Patients were satisfied with the with the service they received from the practice.
- Staff felt valued and supported in their work and in the development of their roles.
- There were clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management.
- There was an open and transparent culture within the practice.
- The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.
- Leaders demonstrated that they had the capacity and skills to deliver high quality sustainable care. They were aware of their strengths and challenges and had acted to address any shortfalls.
- The practice had recently re-established their patient participation group and were working with them to improve patient experiences.
- The practice had a clear vision and credible strategy to provide high quality sustainable care.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Provide all staff with training in basic life support at the recommended frequency.
- Address the oustanding training for staff.
- Improve the monitoring of vaccine fridge temperature checks.
- Offer patients a chaperone where required.
- Explore and implement strategies to increase the uptake of childhood immunisations.
- Explore and implement strategies to increase the uptake of cervical cancer screening, breast and bowel cancer screening.
- Review and improve quality improvement activity.
- Continue to implement strategies to improve the management and care provided to patients experiencing poor mental health.
Following the inspection, the provider sent us a plan of the action they had taken in response to the concerns identified.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice