Background to this inspection
Updated
4 December 2019
Wollaston Surgery provides a range of services under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract which is a nationally agreed contract between general practices and NHS England. It also has a branch surgery at Bozeat and this is were dispensing services are carried out.
The practice is part of Aspiro Healthcare which has eight locations across the counties of Bedfordshire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire. There are 11 GP partners and one managing partner. Six of the locations provide training for medical students and GP Registrars. Their aim is to work in partnership with patients and staff to improve the health and wellbeing status of individuals and the local community.
The practice’s services are commissioned by Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Groups
(CCG).
The practice serves a population of approximately 5,310 patients.
Patient demographics reflect the national average and information published by Public Health England, rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as nine, on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest.
The service at the practice is provided by one GP partner, two salaried GPs (one is currently on long term sick leave) , two practice nurses, two healthcare assistants and one dispenser. Not all of the clinical staff work full-time. The team is supported by an operations manager, deputy operations manager along with a team of administration and reception staff.
The practice has a branch surgery in the village of Bozeat. It is located at Brookside
Bozeat, NN29 7NJ. The branch is a dispensing practice. We inspected the branch surgery as part of this inspection.
The practice at Wollaston Surgery is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. The branch surgery at Bozeat is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 12.30 and 2,30pm to 6pm. Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 12.30.
The practice population is predominantly white British (97%) along with small ethnic populations of Asian (0.8%) and mixed race (1.3%).
Aspiro Healthcare currently has five locations registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We inspected Wollaston Surgery which is located at 163 London Road, Wollaston. NN29 7QS and provides the regulated activities of Family planning, Treatment of disease, disorder or injury, surgical procedures, diagnostic and screening procedures and maternity and midwifery services.
The local NHS trust provides health visiting and community nursing services to patients at this practice.
As part of the Wellingborough locality extended access hub appointments will be provided from Albany House Medical Centre, 3 Queens Street, Wellingborough NN8 4RW
Patients can access extended hours appointments. Additional same day and booked appointments are provided by GPs, Nurse Prescribers, Clinical Pharmacists, Practice Nurses and other clinicians outside of the core General Practice hours.
18:30 - 20:00 Monday to Friday
08:30 - 12:30 Saturday
08:30 - 10:30 Sundays
Bank Holidays 8:30 - 10:30
Q Doctor Virtual Appointments are available:
Monday & Thursday 18:30 - 19:30
Sunday 09:00 - 12:00
When the practice is closed patients are directed to contact the out-of-hours GP services by calling the NHS 111 service.
Updated
4 December 2019
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Wollaston Surgery on 28th and 29th October 2019.
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 have rated this practice as Requires Improvement overall.
- The practice had a leadership structure but some of the governance arrangements in place were not effective.
- Patients were at risk of harm because some systems and processes in place were not effective to keep them safe.
- Risks to patients were assessed but the systems and processes to address these risks were not implemented well enough to ensure patients were kept safe.
- Feedback from people who use the service and stakeholders was positive. Out of 30 comments cards completed by patients registered at the practice, 22 patients expressed high levels of satisfaction about all aspects of the care and treatment they received. The feedback from comments cards we reviewed said patients felt they were treated with by professional and caring staff who with compassion, dignity and respect.
We rated the practice as Requires Improvement for providing a Safe service because we found:-
- Patients were at risk of harm because some systems and processes in place were not effective to keep them safe. For example, patient safety alerts.
- The practice did not always have an effective system in place to safeguard service users from abuse and improper treatment.
- Risks to patients were assessed but the systems and processes to address these risks were not implemented well enough to ensure patients were kept safe. For example, fire and legionella.
- Standards of cleanliness were not always met.
- The system in place to monitor patient’s health was not formalised to ensure they were reviewed in a timely manner to ensure medicines were being used safely and followed up on appropriately.
We rated the practice as Good for providing Effective services because we found:-
- Patients’ needs were assessed, and care and treatment was delivered in line with current legislation, standards and evidence-based guidance supported by clear pathways and tools.
- Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance.
- There was limited evidence of clinical audits to demonstrate quality improvement.
We rated the practice as Requires Improvement for providing a well-led service because we found:-
- We found a lack of leadership and governance relating to the overall management of the dispensary.
- There was a governance framework in place but it did not always support the delivery of the strategy and good quality care. For example, patient safety alerts, infection control, staffing levels, medicine reviews, long term conditions and meeting minutes.
- The arrangements in place for managing risks was always effective.
- Meeting minutes did not contain enough detail to provide information to staff.
- The practice had a number of policies and procedures to govern activity.
- There was limited evidence of innovation or service development. There was also no evidence of learning and reflective practice.
The areas where the provider must make improvements are:
- Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Ensure all staff have received a yearly appraisal.
- Monitor exception reporting to ensure new system is embedded.
- Ensure the business continuity plan has the risks mitigated.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care