Archived: Ewood Medical Centre

Updated 17 July 2017

Ewood Medical Centre is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide primary medical services. The practice provides a comprehensive range of services including minor surgery to approximately 4800 patients from two sites:

• Main surgery: Ewood Medical Centre, Bolton Road, Blackburn, BB2 4HY. This medical centre is converted from two mid terraced houses with consulting rooms on the ground and first floor levels.

• Branch surgery: Larkhill Surgery, Cleaver Street, Blackburn, BB1 5DG. This surgery occupies a single level commercial property previously used as a pharmacy.

The practice delivers services under a General Medical Services (PMS) contract with NHS England, and is part of the NHS Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The average life expectancy of the practice population is comparable to the CCG average and below the national average for males at 76 years compared to 76 years and 79 years respectively. Life expectancy for females is also comparable to the CCG average and below the national average at 81 years (CCG 80 years and national average 83 years). Age groups and population groups within the practice population are comparable with CCG and national averages.

Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as three on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest.

The practice is staffed by two GP partners (both male) and one salaried GP (female). The GPs are supported by two practice nurses. Clinical staff are supported by a practice manager and nine administration and support staff.

All patients are able to access services at either surgery location and the opening times for surgeries within the practice are as follows:

• Ewood Medical Centre: 8am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday with the exception of Thursday when the surgery closes at 1pm but telephone lines continue to manage calls until 6.30pm.

• Larkhill Surgery: 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday with the exception of Wednesday when the surgery closes at 5pm.

• Both surgeries offer extended hours on a Tuesday from 6.30pm – 7.30pm.

In addition to pre-bookable appointments that can be booked up to four weeks in advance, urgent appointments are also available for people that need them. When the practice is closed, Out of Hours services are provided by East Lancashire Medical Services and can be contacted by telephoning NHS 111.

The practice provides online patient access that allows patients to book appointments and order prescriptions.

Updated 17 July 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Ewood Medical Centre on 30 September 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. However, the practice was rated as requires improvement for the key question of safe. The full comprehensive report on the September 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ewood Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an desk-based review carried out on 27 June 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breach to regulation 17 (Good Governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 that we identified in our previous inspection on 30 September 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements.

Overall the practice is now rated as Good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Our previous inspection found that clinical waste was not being stored in line with practice policy. As part of this desk based inspection the provider demonstrated that clinical waste including waste in sharps bins was now securely stored in locked rooms to ensure it was not accessible to patients.

• Our September 2016 inspection found that the monitoring of vaccine fridge temperatures was not thorough. For this inspection the practice shared evidence with us that data loggers were now being used to ensure effective monitoring of vaccine fridge temperatures.

• In September 2016 we found systems to monitor stock of single use items and blank prescription paper were not comprehensive. We saw during this follow up inspection that more comprehensive systems had been implemented to monitor stock levels of single use items held on site as well as the location of blank prescription pads.

• In September 2016 documentation relating to risk management did not always indicate whether mitigating actions had been put in place. During this inspection we was updated documentation relating to risk management activity that clearly recorded timescales and completed dates for any mitigating actions necessary.

As a result of the improvements the practice has made, it is now rated as good for providing safe services.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 17 July 2017

The provider had resolved the concerns for safe practice identified at our inspection on 30 September 2016 which applied to everyone using this practice, including this population group. The overall population group ratings have not been impacted and the rating for this group remains the same. The specific findings relating to this population group can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ewood Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Updated 17 July 2017

The provider had resolved the concerns for safe practice identified at our inspection on 30 September 2016 which applied to everyone using this practice, including this population group. The overall population group ratings have not been impacted and the rating for this group remains the same. The specific findings relating to this population group can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ewood Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Updated 17 July 2017

The provider had resolved the concerns for safe practice identified at our inspection on 30 September 2016 which applied to everyone using this practice, including this population group. The overall population group ratings have not been impacted and the rating for this group remains the same. The specific findings relating to this population group can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ewood Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Updated 17 July 2017

The provider had resolved the concerns for safe practice identified at our inspection on 30 September 2016 which applied to everyone using this practice, including this population group. The overall population group ratings have not been impacted and the rating for this group remains the same. The specific findings relating to this population group can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ewood Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Updated 17 July 2017

The provider had resolved the concerns for safe practice identified at our inspection on 30 September 2016 which applied to everyone using this practice, including this population group. The overall population group ratings have not been impacted and the rating for this group remains the same. The specific findings relating to this population group can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ewood Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Updated 17 July 2017

The provider had resolved the concerns for safe practice identified at our inspection on 30 September 2016 which applied to everyone using this practice, including this population group. The overall population group ratings have not been impacted and the rating for this group remains the same. The specific findings relating to this population group can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ewood Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.