Willowbrook Medical Practice

Updated 29 January 2024

Willowbrook Medical Practice is located at:

Brook Street

Sutton In Ashfield

Nottinghamshire

NG17 1ES

The premises are purpose built for the provision of primary medical services and is accessible to patients with wheelchairs and those with limited mobility.

The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, maternity and midwifery services, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury and surgical procedures.

Willowbrook Medical Practice provides primary care services to approximately 12,500 patients under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract.

The practice consists of 5 partners (4 male and 1 female). The all female nursing team consists of 2 advanced nurse practitioners, 4 practice nurses and 4 health care assistants (HCA) who are also phlebotomists. The practice has a practice manager and assistant manager who are supported by clerical and administrative staff to support the day to day running of the practice.

This practice also provides training for doctors who wish to become GPs. (Teaching practices take medical students and training practices have GP trainees and F2 doctors).

When the practice is closed patients are able to use the NHS 111 out of hours service.

The practice has a lower than average number of patients aged 29 to 39 years of age and higher than average number of patients over 65 years of age. The practice has high deprivation and sits in the third more deprived centile. The practice is registered to provide the following regulated activities; surgical procedures; family planning, diagnostic and screening procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The practice lies within the NHS Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). An ICB is an organisation that brings together local GPs and experienced health professionals to take on commissioning responsibilities for local health services.

The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday with extended hours to 8.30pm on Mondays. Appointments are from 8.40am to 11.30am and 2.40pm to 5.20pm other than Mondays when extended hours appointments are offered until 8pm.

When the practice is closed primary medical services are available through an out of hours provider (PICS).

Updated 29 January 2024

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Willowbrook Medical Practice on 4 October 2023. Overall, the practice is rated as good.

Safe - good

Effective – good

Caring – good

Responsive – requires imrovement

Well-led - good

The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Willowbrook Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we carried out this inspection

We carried out this inspection in line with our inspection priorities. The focus of inspection included a review of all key questions.

How we carried out the inspection

This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site.

This included:

• Conducting staff interviews face to face and by video conferencing.
• Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system (this was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements).
• Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider.
• Requesting evidence from the provider.
• A site visit.

Our findings

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found when we inspected
• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
• information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We found that:

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm. This included safeguarding systems, safe recruitment, infection prevention and control and the management of the premises and associated risks.
• Our review of clinical records found safe management of medicines, in particular those that required ongoing monitoring due to adverse risks.
• Systems were in place to support the practice to learn and make improvements when incidents and complaints occurred.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs. Our review of clinical records found appropriate follow up of patients with or at risk of long-term conditions.
• Uptake of childhood immunisations were above the national target and national average.
• Uptake of cervical screening was below the national target and national average.
• Patient feedback from various sources was mixed about the way staff treated and involved them. Results from the GP national patient survey on some questions relating to patient experience were lower than local and national averages.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care. There was a strong emphasis of working with partners to tackle health inequalities.
• The practice provided a supportive culture with clear direction for the future of the service.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Continue to improve cervical screening uptake.
• Continue to identify and implement changes to improve the GP national patient survey results.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Health Care