Archived: Plumbridge Medical Centre

Updated 21 April 2016

Plumbridge Medical Centre is situated in purpose-built accomodation in a mainly residential area of Greenwich, London, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are responsible for commissioning health services for the locality.

The practice has 2284 registered patients. The practice age distribution differs from the national average. The practice has a larger than average patient population for 20 - 35 year age group and a lower than average population over 65 years.

The practice is registered with the CQC as a partnership but is currently providing services as an individual provider and in the process of re-registeration with the CQC. Services are provided from one location at 32 – 33 Plumbridge Street, Greenwich SE10 8PA. Services are delivered under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract. The practice is registered with the CQC to provide maternity and midwifery services; treatment of disease, disorder and injury and diagnostic and screening procedures.

Services are provided by the lead GP (female); a male sessional GP (2 sessions per week) and a female locum GP (1 session per week). There are also two part-time Practice Nurses (0.2 wte and 0.1 wte). There is a Practice Manager (0.8 wte) and four part-time reception staff.

Although the practice is not a training or teaching practice they occasionally mentor medical students.

The surgery is open between 08.00 and 18.30 hours Monday to Friday. With extended hours provided on Monday until 20.00 hours.

Pre-booked and urgent appointments are available with the GP Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.30 hours and on Monday from 09.00 to 19.40 hours. Pre-booked appointments are available with the nurse between 09.00 and 15.00 hours on Friday and 14.30 to 18.30 on Tuesday.

When the surgery is closed the out of hours GP services are available via NHS 111.

A practice leaflet was available and the practice website www.plumbridgemedicalcentre.nhs.uk included details of services provided by the surgery and within the local area.

Updated 21 April 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Plumbridge Medical Centre on 27 January 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• There was a transparent and proactive approach to safety and a system was in place for reporting and recording significant events. However minor incidents were not always recorded and learning shared.
• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care delivered in line with current best practice guidance.

• Staff received ongoing training and development to ensure they 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 that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had adequate facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. The practice did not have a defibrillator on site but informed us they planned to purchase one.
• The practice had a clear vision to deliver a high quality and compassionate service which was responsive to patients needs and promoted the best possible outcomes for patients.
• 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.

There were also areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• The practice should review their emergency equipment risk assessment to identify how they will respond to a medical emergency in the period whilst they await the purchase of a defibrillator. The practice should also clarify the shared use arrangements for the equipment once purchased.

• The provider should ensure the safe storage of blank prescription pads and have systems in place to record batch numbers of blank paper prescriptions placed in individual printers.

• Administration staff should undertake annual Basic Life Support (BLS) training in line with current guidance.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 21 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions.

• Nursing staff worked in collaboration with GPs in the management of long term conditions.

• Patients at risk of frequent hospital admission were identified and followed up as a priority.

• Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients with diabetes were lower than the national average. However, the practice were aware of this and had implemented procedures to address the issues. Ongoing audit was in place.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• The practice was participating in the Year of Care (YoC) initiative for patients with long-term conditions.

Updated 21 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people.

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances.

• Immunisation rates were comparable with the CCG average for all standard childhood immunisations.

• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals.

• Cervical screening rates were comparable with CCG and national average.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours.

• The premises were suitable for children and babies and baby feeding and changing facilities were available if required.

Updated 21 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.

• 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 who required them.

• Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients with conditions commonly found in older people were comparable with the national average.

Updated 21 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students).

• The needs of the working age population had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care. For example, appointments were available until 7.40 pm one evening per week and urgent appointments were available every day (Monday to Friday).

• 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. There was a good uptake for both health checks and health screening.

Updated 21 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

• The percentage of patients with diagnosed poor mental health who had a comprehensive agreed care plan in the last 12 months was 100%.This was higher than the national average of 88.5%.

• The percentage of patients diagnosed with dementia who had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months was 100%. This was higher than the national average of 84.0%.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.

• There was up to date information available in the waiting area informing patients about various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• 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 including dementia.

Updated 21 April 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability.

• There were arrangements in place to allow people with no fixed address to register or be seen at the practice.

• 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.

• Annual health checks for people with a learning disability were carried out.

• There was up to date information available in the waiting area informing patients about 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.