• Doctor
  • Urgent care service or mobile doctor

South Birmingham Urgent Treatment Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

15 Katie Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6JG (0121) 415 2090

Provided and run by:
South Doc Services Limited

Latest inspection summary

On this page

Background to this inspection

Updated 29 June 2017

The South Birmingham GP Walk-in Centre provider organisation is South Doc Services which is a GP co-operative based in South Birmingham.

The centre is located in a purpose-built health centre in Selly Oak, South Birmingham. The centre is visited by patients from the south Birmingham area, which has a population of around 300,000 people. 47% of patients in this area are from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups compared with the England average of 20%.

The service opened in June 2009 and provides urgent care services between 8am and 8pm 365 days a year, including public holidays. The walk-in service is available to any patient who is entitled to receive NHS treatment in the UK, including those not currently registered with a GP. From 1 January to 31 December 2016 the service had seen 61,662 patients.

The premises is fully accessible to wheelchair users. It is served by the local bus network and there is accessible parking including dedicated disabled spaces.

The service employs a total of 78 staff which consists of 21 permanent staff, five bank staff and 52 sessional staff. All clinical staff working at the service are able to prescribe medicines (GPs or Advanced Nurse Practitioners). There is a minimum of two clinical prescribing staff on duty at any one time (one of which will always be a GP) up to a maximum of seven at busy periods, such as bank holidays. There are three or four clinical staff on duty at most times which includes a mix of female and male practitioners. All of the GPs who work at the service are also employed at local GP practices in the South Birmingham area. There are five consulting rooms available.

The clinical staff are supported by a Centre Manager, a Deputy Centre Manager, a Reception Manager, and a team of reception and administrative staff.

We previously inspected the centre during January 2014, and found recruitment processes did not ensure appropriate criminal records checks were undertaken to protect patients. At our inspection on 28 March 2017 we found that the service had carried out and recorded the findings of all recruitment checks, including criminal records checks.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 29 June 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the South Birmingham GP Walk-in Centre on 28 March 2017. Overall the service is rated as good.

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

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.

  • The service had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.

  • Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.

  • Patients told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.

  • Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.

  • The service had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The service proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the service complied with these requirements.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice