Archived: Astley General Practice Also known as SSP Health Ltd

Updated 14 January 2016

Astley General Practice has about 2817 patients registered. It is part of and managed by the SSP Health group of practices and is overseen Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). At the time of our inspection and the majority of patients were of white British background.

The practice is small building with all clinical treatment taking place on the ground level which is fully accessible to those with mobility difficulties. There was a community feel within the practice from both patients, PPG and staff.

There are three GPs (one female and two male), supported by one nurse who provide clinical care to the patient population. There is also a practice manager and reception team. There is regular support for the practice from senior leadership team, including clinicians and managers, at SSP Health.

The practice is open 8am to 6.30 pm Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; with extended opening on Mondays till 7.30pm. The practice closes on Wednesdays at 1pm. Patients requiring a GP outside of normal working hours are advised to call NHS 111 to access out-of-hours service.

The practice has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract and also offers enhanced services for example: anticoagulation monitoring and minor surgery injections.

Updated 14 January 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Astley General Practice on 8 December 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with urgent appointments available the same day.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• The practice had clean and good facilities, which were well equipped to treat patients.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.

• 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.

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.

• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

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

We saw a areas of outstanding practice:

The practice works as part of the integrated neighborhood team (INT), the aim is to ensure patients are cared for in the community to help reduce loneliness and ensure the wellbeing of the patients. The practice works closely with other teams in the community for example, district nurses and complex care nurses along with an INT coordinator. Where there are regular updates and events planned for example, Christmas tea parties and Easter bonnet parade have been held in the practice and at the local community hall with support of PPG.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 14 January 2016

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.

• The practice offered appointments up to 60 minutes to patients with multiple conditions.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• Patients had a six monthly or annual review with either the GP and/or the nurse to check that their health and medication. The organisation SSP also has an in house pharmaceutical advisor available to support all practice staff.

• The practice had registers in place for several long term conditions including diabetes and asthma.

• Patients were allocated a specific practice nurse for the management of their condition

All these patients had a structured annual review to check that their health and medicines needs were being met. For those people with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 14 January 2016

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

• The practice has an early year fact sheet for all new parents in the practice, this offers advice and support to all new parents. This is also sent with a congratulations letter to all new parents.

• Immunisation rates were high for all standard childhood immunisations.

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk.

• The practice regularly liaised with health visitors. Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

We saw good examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses to support families.

Updated 14 January 2016

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

• It was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• The practice offers an in house audiology clinic, offering patients hearing test and hearing aids fitted at the practice.

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management. The practice had registers in place for several long term conditions including diabetes and asthma.

Updated 14 January 2016

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 CQC comment cards said that the practices online facilities worked well for them.

• The practice held a carers coffee morning to offer support to patients supporting someone they care for.

• The practice offered extended access to appointment for example on Monday evenings till 7.30pm.

• The practice offers a text to cancel service, to cancel your appointed.

The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care.

Updated 14 January 2016

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

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations, one example the in house counselling available at the practice.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.

• It had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.

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

Updated 14 January 2016

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

• The practice offered an in house counselling service available to all patients.
• Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and had a safeguarding lead and deputy.
• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including housebound patients and also the carers of these patients.
• The practice worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.
• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children.
• Practice patients had disabled access to the building and car parking.