Riversdale Surgery

Updated 30 June 2017

Riversdale Surgery provides care and treatment to 6,008 patients of all ages, based on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract. The practice is part of the NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and provides care and treatment to patients living in the Wylam and Prudhoe areas. The practice covers a large geographical area, extending into Gateshead. We visited the following location as part of the inspection:

• Riversdale Surgery, 51 Woodcroft Road, Wylam, Northumberland, NE41 8DH.

The main practice in Wylam is a dispensing surgery which means they can, if they meet certain criteria, supply eligible patients with medicines directly. There is also a branch surgery located at: Oaklands Medical Centre, Front Street, Prudhoe, Northumberland, NE42 5DQ.

The practice serves an area where deprivation is lower than the England average. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have a greater need for health services. The practice had a higher proportion of older patients compared to the national average (25.3% compared to 16.7%). The percentage of people with a long-standing health condition is below the England average, but the percentage of people with caring responsibilities is above. Life expectancy for women is higher than the England average, but lower for men. National data showed that 1.3% of the population are from non-white ethnic groups.

The main surgery occupies premises that have been adapted to meet the needs of patients with disabilities. There are consultation and treatments rooms on both the ground and first floors. The branch surgery, at the Oaklands Medical Centre, occupies a building which has recently been converted. The health centre also houses community based healthcare staff, such as midwives and health visitors.

The practice has three GP partners (all male) and a salaried GP (female). They are an approved training practice, and there was a GP registrar (trainee doctor) on placement at the time of our visit. The practice also had: a practice nurse (female), one healthcare assistant (female), two dispensers (female) and a team of administrative and reception staff. The practice intends to recruit a second healthcare assistant.

The main surgery at Wylam is open Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm, except for Wednesdays, when they are closed between 12pm and 1pm, for staff training. The branch surgery is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday between 8am and 6pm, and on Thursdays between 8am and 12pm. The branch surgery is closed each weekday, apart from Thursday, between 12:30 and 1:30pm. Both sites are closed at the weekends.

The GP appointment times are:

At the main surgery: Monday: 8:30am to 11:10am and 3:30pm to 5:20pm; Tuesday: 8:30am to 11am and 2:30pm to 4:10pm; Wednesday: 9:30am to 11am and 3pm to 5:20pm; Thursday: 8:30am to 11am and 1:20pm to 3:20pm; Friday: 8:05am to 10:40am and 3:30pm to 5:20pm.

At the branch surgery: Monday: 8:30am to 11:10am and 3:30pm to 5:20pm; Tuesday: 8:30am to 11am and 3:30pm to 5:20pm; Wednesday: 9:40am to 11:20am and 2:10pm to 3:50pm; Thursday: 8:05am to 10:50am; Friday: 8:30 to 11:30am and 3:20pm to 5:20pm.

When the practice is closed patients can access out-of-hours care via Vocare, known locally as Northern Doctors Urgent Care, and the NHS 111 service.

Updated 30 June 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Riversdale Surgery on 15 November 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good. However, we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing safe services. The full comprehensive report on the November 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Riversdale Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

We carried out an announced focused inspection on 30 May 2017, to confirm the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirement in relation to the breach in regulation that we had identified in our inspection, on 15 November 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to that requirement.

Overall the practice is rated as good. Our key findings from this inspection were as follows:

• The provider had complied with the requirement notice we set following our previous inspection visit. In particular, we found that there were suitable arrangements for the proper and safe management of medicines, and these helped to make sure care and treatment was provided to patients in a safe way.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 24 January 2017

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

• The QOF data, for 2014/15, showed the practice had performed above most local CCG and national averages, in relation to providing care and treatment for the majority of the clinical conditions commonly associated with this population group. (Just before we published the report, the QOF data for 2015/16 was released. This showed that the practice had maintained an equally high level of QOF performance.)

• Patients with long-term conditions were invited to attend a chronic disease review, at a frequency which reflected their needs. There were effective systems in place which helped to ensure that patients who failed to respond to an invitation to attend a healthcare review were contacted and encouraged to attend. The practice had been proactive in providing the shingles and influenza immunisations to at-risk age groups, and they had achieved a high level of performance in both of these areas.

• Clinical staff were good at working with other healthcare professionals to meet the needs of patients with complex needs. Patients at risk of an emergency hospital admission were identified as a priority, and their needs were regularly reviewed at multi-disciplinary meetings.

Updated 24 January 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people.

• There were appropriate systems in place to protect children who were at risk and living in disadvantaged circumstances. For example, monthly meetings took place involving the community midwife, health visitors and school nurses, to help identify potential safeguarding issues and manage risk. Appointments were available outside of school hours and ill children were provided with access to same day care. The premises were suitable for children and babies.

• The practice offered contraceptive and sexual health advice. Information was available, about how patients could access specialist sexual health services.

• The practice had a comprehensive screening programme, and had performed above the national averages in relation to breast, bowel and cervical screening. For example, the uptake of cervical screening, for females aged between 25 and 64, who attended during the target period, was higher, at 88.3%, than the national average of 81.8%.

• The practice offered a full range of immunisations for children. Publicly available information showed the practice had performed above the local CCG averages in delivering these immunisations. For example, childhood immunisation rates, for the vaccinations given to children under two years old, ranged from 92.7% to 98.2% (the local CCG averages ranged from 73.3% to 95.1%). For five year olds, the rates ranged from 96.2% to 98.1% (the local CCG averages ranged from 81.4% to 92.9%).

Updated 24 January 2017

The practice is rated as good for older people.

• Nationally reported Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) data, for 2014/15, showed the practice had performed above most local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and national averages, in relation to providing care and treatment for the clinical conditions commonly associated with this population group. (Just before we published the report, the QOF data for 2015/16 was released. This showed that the practice had maintained an equally high level of QOF performance).

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care which met the needs of older patients. For example, all patients over 75 years of age had a named GP who was responsible for their care.

• Staff worked in partnership with other health care professionals to ensure that older patients received the care and treatment they needed. The practice team actively participated in the local High Risk Patient Pathway, to help reduce unplanned admissions into hospital. They also participated in regular multi-disciplinary meetings where the needs of high risk patients were discussed, and plans put in place to meet their needs.

Updated 24 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 reflected the needs of this group of patients. Patients were able to use on-line services to access appointments and request prescriptions. Same day face-to-face appointments, and telephone consultations were provided, as was access to on-the-day emergency appointments.

• The QOF data showed the practice had performed above most of the local CCG and England averages, in providing recommended care and treatment to this group of patients. (Just before we published the report, the QOF data for 2015/16 was released. This showed that the practice had maintained an equally high level of QOF performance.)

Updated 24 January 2017

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

• The QOF data, for 2014/15, showed the practice had performed above the local CCG and national averages, in relation to providing care and treatment to this group of patients. (Just before we published the report, the QOF data for 2015/16 was released. This showed that the practice had maintained an equally high level of QOF performance.)

• The practice’s clinical IT system clearly identified patients with dementia and mental health needs, to ensure staff were aware of their specific needs. These patients were invited to attend an annual health review.
• Patients experiencing poor mental health had access to information about how to contact various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Clinical staff actively carried out opportunistic dementia screening, to help ensure their patients were receiving the care and support they needed to stay healthy and safe.

• Staff had completed Dementia training, which helps to raise awareness of dementia related issues.

Updated 24 January 2017

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

• There were suitable arrangements for meeting the needs of vulnerable patients. The practice maintained a register of patients with learning disabilities, which was used to help ensure they received an annual healthcare review.

• Systems were in place to protect vulnerable children from harm. Staff understood their responsibilities regarding information sharing and the documentation of safeguarding concerns. They regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams to help protect vulnerable patients.

• Arrangements had been made which helped meet the needs of patients who were also carers.

• To promote better access for patients with disabilities, the practice had developed an electronic accessibility template, to help staff highlight this group of patients on the clinical system, so this could be taken into account when providing care and treatment.