Archived: The Wellington Practice

Updated 23 October 2018

The Wellington Practice, Aldershot Centre for Health, Hospital Hill, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1AY.

• The Wellington Practice is located in the centre of Aldershot. The practice has approximately 3,300 registered patients with an even spread across all age groups. There is a slightly higher than average number of working age individuals and slightly lower than average number of older adults. Aldershot has a range of deprivation but the most deprived areas of the town fall in the top 30% most deprived areas of the country. There is a high prevalence of armed service personnel registered at the practice. There is a 30% proportion of Nepalese patients, many of whom are older patients. Staff explained many of these patients have come to the UK with existing health conditions that have not been well managed in the past and this impacts on the practice’s ability to manage their health needs. However, the practice has a lower prevalence of patients with a long standing health condition at 42% compared to the national average of 53%. The practice cared for approximately 150 patients in care and nursing homes.
• The Wellington Practice is located within a large multi-purpose building called the Aldershot Centre for Health. The building hosts a variety of health services including two GP practices, outpatients’ departments and the headquarters for the NHS North Hampshire and Farnham Clinical Commissioning Group of which The Wellington Practice belongs to. Aldershot Centre for Health is fully adapted to accommodate for people with disabilities.
• The practice is run as a single handed GP practice with one lead GP. They had been successful in recruiting a new GP and a nurse to provide care to patients. There was a long term locum also working at the practice. The nursing team also consisted of a health care assistant. The clinical staff are supported by an administrative team led by the practice manager.
• The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Extended hours appointments are available on a pre-bookable basis on Tuesday evenings between 6.30pm and 7.30pm and from 10am to 12.30pm on one Saturday a month.
• The practice does not offer out of hours treatment for their patients instead referring patients to the NHS 111 service.
• The practice was registered to provide the following regulated activities: Diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, surgical procedures, maternity and midwifery services and treatment of disease disorder and injury.

Updated 23 October 2018

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection August 2017 – Requires improvement)

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Requires improvement

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

In August 2017 we undertook a comprehensive inspection at The Wellington Practice. As a result of the inspection we issued requirement notices and issued a rating of requires improvement for providing safe, effective and well-led services. We carried out an announced follow up comprehensive inspection at The Wellington Practice on 12 September 2018 as part of our inspection programme and to identify if improvements required at our previous inspection had been made. We found significant improvement to services had been achieved. However, the practice still requires improvements in providing effective services to patients.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risks to patients and staff. When incidents occurred, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice did not consistently monitor the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided to ensure treatment was always appropriate. National data indicators showed there was poor performance in some clinical areas. The practice has a challenges in terms complex disease profiles and the transient nature of its population.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they could access care when they needed it.
• There was an improved focus on learning and improvement since 2017.
• The practice continuously reviewed the needs of its patient population and adapted processes to improve services for its population.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

The practice had enlisted the expertise of an external GP to help with reviewing and deciding on which action to take following significant events. This was aimed at providing an independent and objective review of events which may enhance the learning culture of the practice. The external GP attended the meetings where events were discussed. We saw this led to improvements in process being identified and implemented.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Improve the monitoring and processes to drive improvement in patient care.

Additionally, the provider should:

• Review the process for ensuring spirometers are accurate and fit for use.
• Review the location of oxygen cylinders which may be required in an emergency is known to all staff.
• Identify means of identifying carers’ who may require additional support.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 23 October 2018

Updated 23 October 2018

Updated 23 October 2018

Updated 23 October 2018

Updated 23 October 2018

Updated 23 October 2018