Saddlers Health Centre

Updated 27 March 2017

Saddlers Health Centre is a long established practice located in the Walsall area of the West Midlands. There are approximately 3270 patients of various ages registered and cared for at the practice. Services to patients are provided under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. The practice has expanded its contracted obligations to provide enhanced services to patients. An enhanced service is above the contractual requirement of the practice and is commissioned to improve the range of services available to patients.

The clinical team includes a male and a female GP partner, two practice nurses and two health care assistants. The GP partners and the practice manager form the practice management team and they are supported by a team of five staff members who cover reception, secretarial and administration roles.

The practice is open for appointments between 8am and 6:30pm during weekdays, except for Fridays when the practice closes at 1pm. The practice offers extended hours on Wednesdays between 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

Patients are directed to the Waldoc urgent care provider after 1pm on Friday, if contacting the practice for primary medical care during the afternoon. There are also arrangements to ensure patients receive medical assistance during the out-of-hours period.

Updated 27 March 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Saddlers Health Centre on 2 December 2015. 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.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had 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.

• Patients told us that they could get an appointment

when they needed one, however there was some delays to routine appointments when doctors were on leave.

• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.

• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour. The Duty of Candour aims to help patients receive accurate, truthful information from providers.

• The practice proactively sought feedback from patients and had an active patient participation group.

• Staff could be overheard discussing patient details at the front reception desk when answering the telephone.

• Staff were not always aware of the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.

The areas where the provider must make improvement:

• Ensure recruitment arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff.

The areas where the provider should make improvement:

• Carry out risk assessments and log maintenance actions required.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 3 March 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions. We found the clinical team had the knowledge, skills and competency to respond to the needs of patients with a long term condition such as diabetes and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed. The practice maintained registers of patients with long term conditions and care plans had been developed for these patients and were reviewed regularly. The practice reviewed the most vulnerable two per cent of the practice population who were at risk of admission to hospital. Written management plans had been developed for these patients and were reviewed at least annually. For those patients with the most complex of needs, the GPs worked with relevant health and social care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 3 March 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 on protection plans. All children under the age of five were offered same day emergency appointments to ensure they were assessed promptly. The premises were suitable for children and babies. There were screening and vaccination programmes in place and the immunisation rates were comparable to the national average. A family planning service was available and one of the GP Partners had a specialist interest in sexual health.

Updated 3 March 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people. Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients were good for conditions commonly found in older people. The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population and had a range of enhanced services, for example avoidance of unplanned admissions. The practice was responsive to the needs of older people and offered home visits and telephone consultations as required. Same day appointments were provided if requested. Use of integrated care pathways was evident and regular communication with community teams such as the dementia support worker and Rapid Response team was seen.

Updated 3 March 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students). The practice provided extended opening hours on Wednesday evenings from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. for patients who were unable to visit the practice during normal working hours. The practice also had arrangements for patients to have telephone consultations with a GP if they were unable to attend the practice and non-urgent appointments were available to book on line. The practice was proactive in offering a full range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs of this age group. This included health checks for patients aged 40 to 70 years of age with the nursing team.

Updated 3 March 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). Ninety four percent of people experiencing poor mental health had a comprehensive completed plan of care in place. Ninety four per cent of patients with dementia had received a face to face review in the last twelve months. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.

Updated 3 March 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 those with a learning disability. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the management and review of vulnerable people. Home visits were carried out for patients who were housebound and any patient that had requested. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies.