Blackheath PMS

Updated 29 September 2016

Blackheath PMS is a medium sized practice based in Greenwich. The practice list size is approximately 5600. Whilst the practice population is diverse, patients are mainly from white British, Asian and Asian British backgrounds. Life expectancy for males in the practice is 77 years and for females 82. Both of these are in line with the CCG and national averages for life expectancy. The practice has a higher than average number of females aged between 20-44 years old and males 25-29 years old.

The practice has two locations. Woodlands Surgery (in Greenwich) has two consulting rooms, one patient waiting room, and administration offices. Charlton Road surgery (in Charlton) also has two consulting rooms, a patient waiting room and reception area. Both premises are wheelchair accessible and there are facilities for wheelchair users including a disabled toilet.

There are two male GP partners,one female GP partner and a salaried GP. One of the male partners works 8 sessions per week and the other works six sessions per week. The female partner works six sessions per week. The salaried GP works two sessions per week. Other staff include a female practice nurse, a female health care assistant, a female practice manager, a female assistant practice manager, five receptionists (all female) and two administrators (one male and one female).The practice is open between 8.00am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday and offers extended opening on Tuesday and Wednesday from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

Appointments are available at Woodlands Surgery in the mornings from 9.00am to 12.00pm Monday to Wednesday and Fridays; 9.00am-11.30am on Thursdays and from 4.00pm to 6.00pm on Monday, Thursday and Fridays and 4.30pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesdays.

Appointments are available at the Charlton Road branch site from 9.15am to 12.00pm Monday to Fridays and from 4.00pm to 6.00pm Monday to Wednesday and Fridays. When the practice is closed patients are directed (through a recorded message on the practice answerphone) to contact the local out of hour’s provider. This information is also available on the practice website.

The practice is registered as a partnership with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide the regulated activities of; treatment of disease, disorder and injury; diagnostic and screening procedure and maternity and midwifery services at these two locations.

Updated 29 September 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Blackheath PMS on 16 March 2016. Overall the practice 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice 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 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review procedures in place for infection control ensuring schedules are up to date and relevant.

• Review the system for monitoring and recording checks of the expiry dates of emergencies medicines.

• Explore the reasons for the low results from the GP Patient Survey.

• Review procedures in place for monitoring and managing people with long-term conditions, particularly those with diabetes to produce better outcomes.

• Review systems in place to identify carers.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 29 September 2016

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.

• The practice ran clinics for patients with long-term conditions including asthma, COPD, diabetes and cardiovascular disease

• The practice carried out regular reviews of elective and urgent admissions of patients with long-term conditions.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients had a named GP and a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met. For those patients with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 29 September 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 living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk. for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances. The practice maintained a register of children on the child protection list.

• Immunisation rates were 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, and we saw evidence to confirm this.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies. Children and babies were always given on the day appointments.

• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses. Multi-disciplinary team meetings were held monthly.

Updated 29 September 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.

• There was a named GP for all patients aged over 75.

• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• Pneumonia, shingles and flu vaccinations were offered to all older people.

• Joint home visits with the district nurse were carried out to all vulnerable older people.

• All housebound older people could request repeat prescriptions via the telephone. There were also arrangements in place for the local pharmacist to collect prescriptions from the surgery and deliver medication to patients.

• The practice carried out planned follow up for patients discharged from hospital.

Updated 29 September 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, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible` and offered continuity of care. The practice offered a commuter’s clinic from 6.30pm to 7.30pm twice a week.

• The practice was proactive in offering online services such as repeat prescriptions and appointment bookings as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.

• The practice made referrals to GUM sexual health clinics.

• Telephone consultations were available for patients who found it difficult to attend the practice during normal opening hours.

Updated 29 September 2016

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

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  87% of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses had a comprehensive agreed care plan, which was comparable to the national average.

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

• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia. All patients were dementia were reviewed annually.

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access 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 and dementia.

Updated 29 September 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 homeless people, travellers and those with a learning disability.

• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.

• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.

• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access 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 in normal working hours and out of hours.