Archived: Sloan Medical Centre

Updated 12 January 2017

Sloan Medical Centre at Blackstock Road and Sloan Medical Centre at Little London Road, have one patient list and provide general medical services for approximately 12,503 patients. The practice population is described as the fifth most deprived according to the National Census Data in 2011. The practices are near Sheffield City Centre.

There are six GP partners (four female and two male) and five salaried GPs. There are three practice nurses, two healthcare assistants, and two phlebotomists. Who are supported by an assistant practice manager and 22 reception and administration staff. The post of practice manager was vacant at the time of our inspection.

Sloan medical centre at Blackstock Road opening hours are Monday to Wednesday 8am to 6pm, Thursday 8am to 1pm and Friday 9.30am to 6pm. Patients could make appointments in person, by telephone and on line. Patients could request appointments on the same day or pre-bookable appointments are available within one week.

Patients who needed to see a GP urgently could phone at any time and the call would be passed to the emergency ‘on call’ GP to respond. Other patients who wanted to speak to a GP were encouraged to phone the practice later in the day and the receptionists offered a five minute telephone call back at an agreed time.

When closed, the practice directed patients to Little London Road, the Sheffield City walk in services, which is open from 8am to 8pm every day or the 111 urgent call and 999 emergency telephone services.

The practices have Primary Medical Services (PMS) contract in the NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area. The PMS contract is between general practices and NHS England for delivering primary care services to local communities. The CCG and NHS England also contract the to provide other enhanced services. For example, patients with learning disabilities, minor surgery, and shingles immunisation.

Updated 12 January 2017

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Sloan Medical Centre on 15 November 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..
• The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems, processes and practices in place to keep patients safeguarded from abuse.
• 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.
• The practice offered an annual one-stop shop for patients with a learning disability. The GP carried out a medical review, gave vaccinations, took blood tests and monitored their vital signs. The GP also worked closely with the community dentist who provided a specialist service for patients with a learning disability.
• Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• The practice worked closely with other agencies to promote health improvement. For example Age UK, Shipshape, and Digital Health.

• 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 practice manager had left the practice in May 2016, and the practice was awaiting the commencement of a new practice manager. On the day of inspection this meant that the staff at the practice were unable to find the correct documents to evidence that they had the appropriate risk assessments in place. The assistant practice manager agreed to review the staff responsibilities to make sure the staff were fully aware of any new responsibilities.

• The practice had developed a new diabetes service. The practice had invited patients with diabetes to a meeting to find out what their understanding of the diseases was and what their expectations were. As part of the initial review the GPs used the patient activation measures assessment tool (This established how able the patient was to engage in managing their own health). The GPs then contacted patients and provided the level of support dependent upon their ability to manage and understand their disease. This helped the practice to provide increased support to those who needed it. The service also linked in with community providers such as Digital Health, and Age UK.

We saw an area of outstanding practice:

• The practice hosted Digital Health, a not for profit charitable organisation that introduced patients to digital technology so they could become more informed about their health. Digital Health offers both group and one to one support. With volunteer support, Digital Health and the practice held monthly coffee mornings for patients who were isolated. The average attendance at each group was 20. Feedback from patients suggested that the introduction to using the internet had provided them with access to information to help manage their health and understand their condition.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review the systems in place to monitor the prevention and management of infection control.

• Make sure staff take part in regular fire drills.

• Review the emergency procedures protocol so that it informs staff that the practice does not have a defibrillator on the premises.

• Make  the business continuity plan available to staff.

• Make sure staff who have been tasked with monitoring the medical fridge temperatures have an awareness of the practice policy for reporting cold chain events.

• Further review and monitor patient satisfaction in respect of accessing the practice by telephone.

• The provider should make sure the adult and children safeguarding policies contain the names of the GP leads.

• Information to inform patients about how to complain should be available in the reception area.  Also, ensure the response letter to the patient, following a complaint, contains details of who the patient could refer the complaint to, if they were not satisfied with the practices response.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 12 January 2017

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

• The practice had developed a new diabetes service and had invited patients with diabetes to a meeting to find out what their understanding of the diseases was and what their expectations were. As part of the initial review the GPs used the of patient activation measures assessment tool (This established how able the patient was to engage in managing their own health). The GPs then contacted patients and provided the level of support dependent upon their ability to manage and understand their disease. This helped the practice to provide increased support to those who needed it. The service also linked in with community providers such as Digital Health, and Age UK.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• Smoking cessation advice was available from a member of staff at the practice.

• The practice hosted Sheffield International Venue exercise referral scheme (Shipshape). The trainer held an exercise class to meet the needs of the patients once a week at the practice called Sloan circuits at Little London Road. Or offered one to one sessions at the local gym.

• The practice invited patients with long-term conditions  for an annual health check on their birthday.

Updated 12 January 2017

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, . Immunisation rates were relatively high for most standard childhood immunisations.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 90.8%, which was above the CCG average of 88.4% and the national average of 81.5%.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

• Acutely ill children were prioritised for appointments.

• We received many very positive comment cards from patients who had attended the baby clinic.

Updated 12 January 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.

• The practice hosted Digital Health, a not for profit charitable organisation that introduced older patients to digital technology so they could become more informed about their health. Digital health staff offered group and one to one support.

• With volunteers support, and Digital Health. Staff invited patients who were isolated to a monthly coffee morning at the Little London Road practice. The average attendance at each group was 20. Feedback from patients was that the introduction to using the internet had provided them with access to information to help manage their health and understand their condition.

• The practice hosted a community support worker who assisted with the follow up of patients recently discharged from hospital.

Updated 12 January 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students).

• 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.

• The needs of the working age population, and those recently retired had been reviewed and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care. When closed patient could access services at Little London Road. However, patients who worked commented on the difficulty of the GP phoning whilst they were at work.

• The practice offered smoking cessation, weight management, a travel clinic and exercise clinics.

Updated 12 January 2017

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

• 85.7% of patients with a new diagnosis of depression had been reviewed within 56 days of diagnosis, this was comparable to the CCG at 85.1% and the national average of 83%.

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

• Patients had access to IAPT psychological services in the practice. (Improving Access to Psychological services)., 

Updated 12 January 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

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

• The practice offered an annual one-stop shop for patients with a learning disability. The GP carried out a medical review, gave vaccinations, took blood tests and monitored their vital signs. The GP also worked closely with the community dentist who provided a specialist service 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.