Background to this inspection
Updated
22 May 2018
The Birches Medical Practice provides general medical services to 4250 patients within the Bury Clinical Commissioning Group area.
Services are provided from: Polefield Road, Prestwich, Manchester M25 2GN
The practice website is: www.thebirchesmedicalcentre.co.uk
Information taken from Public Health England placed the area in which the practice is located as number six on the deprivation scale of one to ten. (The lower the number the higher the deprivation). In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services.
The out of hours provider to the practice is BARDOC (Bury and Rochdale Doctors on Call)
The practice offers direct enhanced services that include meningitis provision, the childhood vaccination and immunisation scheme, extended hours, support for patients with dementia and learning disabilities, influenza and pneumococcal immunisations and minor surgery.
There are three GPs working at the practice; one senior partner (female), one partner (male) and a salaried GP (female). The GPs work between three and six sessions per week. There is also an advanced nurse practitioner, three practice nurses and a health care assistant. There is a practice manager and a team of administration / reception staff.
The practice’s regulated activities are:
Surgical procedures
Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
Family planning
Diagnostic and screening procedures
Maternity and midwifery services
Updated
22 May 2018
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Birches Medical Centre on 10 April 2018 as part of our inspection programme.
The key questions are rated as:
Are services safe? – Good
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Good
Are services well-led? - Good
At this inspection we found:
- The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
- The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided through regular clinical audits and reviews of the service delivered. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
- Staff met regularly to discuss patient care and practice related issues. Some records of the meetings held were very brief.
- Medicines were well managed and prescriptions were stored securely.
- Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- Some patients found it difficult to get through to the practice by phone to book an appointment.
- There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Curtains used in clinical rooms should be washed at least every six months and records kept of this activity.
- Meeting notes should include more detailed information to keep staff informed about matters discussed and to ensure issues identified were followed-up and monitored.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice