Background to this inspection
Updated
20 August 2018
Bridgegate Medical Centre is situated in the town centre of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The practice provides services to approximately 9,000 people in the town and surrounding villages, from one location:
- Winchester Street, Barrow In Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9SH.
We visited this address on this inspection.
The practice team comprises four GP partners (two female, two male), two salaried GPs (female), a GP registrar (male) and a Foundation Year 2 doctor (female), three practice nurses (female), one healthcare assistant, two phlebotomists, a practice manager, a office manager, an administration manager, a medicines manager, plus a team of administration and reception staff.
Opening times at the practice are from 8.30am to 6pm on Mondays, 7.30am to 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7.30am to 6pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, and closed at weekends. Telephones are answered until 6.30pm each day. Outside of these times, a pre-recorded message directs patients to 999 emergency services, NHS 111 or out-of-hours providers, as appropriate.
Bridgegate Medical Centre is housed in purpose-built surgery premises. Services for patients are provided on the ground floor. There is a disabled WC, wheelchair and step-free access. Car parking is available outside of the practice premises.
Information taken from Public Health England places the area in which the practice is located in the second most deprived decile. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services. The service for patients requiring urgent medical attention out of hours is provided through the NHS 111 service and Cumbria Health on Call.
The practice provides their services under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract to patients and is part of the NHS Morecambe Bay clinical commissioning group (CCG).
Updated
20 August 2018
This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection May 2015 – Good)
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
We carried out an announced inspection at Bridgegate Medical Centre on 15 June 2018 as part of our inspection programme.
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. They ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
- The practice held monthly multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings with a respiratory consultant to discuss patients with chronic respiratory conditions. There was also a quarterly MDT meeting with a paediatrician.
- Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- The practice had identified over 5% of their patient list as carers. They had two carers champions who worked closely with local carers agengies to support patients who cared for others.
- The practice engaged well with the local community, working with schools and other organisations to promote healthy living.
- We saw good and varied examples of social prescribing. For example, patients could be referred to weight loss groups.
- Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
- There were clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Check that staff who work at the practice have had recommended immunisations and that this is documented.
- Make information about how to complain available to patients in the waiting area.
- Make learning from complaints more robust.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice