Archived: Atkinson Health Centre Practice

Updated 16 September 2016

Atkinson Health Centre Practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services.

The practice provides services to approximately 4,760 patients from one location at Market Street, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2LR. We visited this location on this inspection.

The practice is based in a purpose-built surgery building which is owned and managed by NHS Property Services. It has ramp access and all patient services are on one floor floor. There is a designated parking area for patients, with disabled parking spaces available.

The practice has 19 members of staff, including four GP partners (two female, two male), one (male) nurse practitioner, two (female) practice nurses, two (female) healthcare assistants, a phlebotomist, a pharmacist, a practice manager, and seven reception and administration staff, including a clinical interface manager/care plan co-ordinator.

The practice is part of Cumbria clinical commissioning group (CCG). Information taken from Public Health England placed the area in which the practice was located in the second most deprived decile. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services. Health outcomes for people in Barrow in Furness are generally lower than national averages and vary significantly. The life expectancy in the most deprived areas for men is 13 years lower, and for women eight years lower, than people in the least deprived areas. The area also has higher-than-average rates of obesity, self-harm and smoking related deaths. The practice population profile differs from the national average in a number of areas. There are lower than average numbers of patients between the ages of 25 and 39, while there are also fewer males aged under 14 and females younger than nine. There are particularly higher than average numbers of male patients aged between 45 and 79, and female patients between the ages of 40 and 49.

The surgery is open from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, with extended opening hours until 9pm on Mondays. The practice is closed at weekends. Telephones at the practice are answered from 8am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Outside of these times a message on the telephone answering system redirects patients to out of hours or emergency services as appropriate. The service for patients requiring urgent medical attention out of hours is provided by the NHS 111 service and Cumbria Health On Call (CHOC).

The practice provides services to patients of all ages based on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract agreement for general practice.

Updated 16 September 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Atkinson Health Centre Practice on 8th July 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 improvements are:

• Blinds in areas where patients have access should have loop chords secured.
• The practice should continue to follow up all required improvements to the practice premises with the landlord.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 16 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.
• Performance for diabetes related indicators was better than the national average. For example, 91% of patients with diabetes, on the register, had a last blood pressure reading of 140/80 mmHg or less in preceding last 12 months (April 2014 to March 2015) compared to a national average 78%.
• 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 16 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. Immunisation rates were relatively high 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.
• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses.

Updated 16 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 their population.
• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.
• The practice scored well on the Quality and Outcomes Framework for conditions related to this population group. For example, they achieved 100% of the points available for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, Heart Failure and Dementia.

Updated 16 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’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 80%, which was comparable to the national average of 82%.
• The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.

Updated 16 September 2016

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

• 81% of patients diagnosed with dementia who had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which is comparable to the national average of 84%.
• Performance for mental health related indicators was better than the national average. For example, 94% of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses had had their alcohol comsumption recorded in the preceding 12 months (April 2014 to March 2015) compared to a national average of 90%.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.
• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia.
• 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 16 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 carers and those with a learning disability.
• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability, or any other patients who needed one.
• 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.