Background to this inspection
Updated
4 May 2017
The Walk In Centre RD&E Wonford is situated at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in the city of Exeter, Devon in the south west of England. It is one of two walk in centres in the city of Exeter that are managed by the same provider, Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust. The other centre is Sidwell Street, Exeter. The data in this report which pertains to the Friends and Family feedback is shared data and takes into consideration the feedback from patients using both walk in centres.
The majority of patients do not access The Walk In Centre (WIC) RD&E Wonford directly but are triaged by the emergency department into the service. Patients using the service also have access to the RD&E hospital which is co-located with the service.
The Devon Doctors GP out of hour’s service operates alongside the WIC after 6 pm and at weekends. The nurse led Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) service is also co-located with the WIC Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4 .30pm.
The 2011 census data showed that majority of the local population identified themselves as being White British. During the last 12 months the service had provided care and treatment to 35,000 patients.
Staff at the Walk In Centre (WIC) RD&E Wonford worked across both this location and the other Walk In Centre on Sidwell Street. The service is staffed by two trained nurses per shift. The entire WIC team, which covers both WICs, comprises of 18 nurses, 16 female and two male. Some work part time making the whole time equivalent (WTE) 12.65. The clinical team were supported by a service manager, business location manager and additional administration staff.
The Walk In Centre RD&E Wonford service is open between the NHS contracted opening hours are 7am until 10.30pm every day of the week from Monday to Sunday. Appointments are offered anytime within these hours. Outside of these times patients are directed to contact the out of hour’s service and the NHS 111 number.
The service has a Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract with NHS England.
This report relates to the regulatory activities being carried out at:
Walk In Centre - RD&E Wonford, Barrack Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 5DW. We visited this location during our inspection.
Updated
4 May 2017
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at the Walk In Centre RD&E Wonford on 2 March 2017. Overall the centre 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.
Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
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.
There was high patient satisfaction, with all 12 patients we talked to confirming they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
People’s individual needs and preferences were central to the planning and delivery of tailored services. We saw several examples of this. For example in order to meet patient needs, nurses had received extra training in the treatment of traumatic wounds, infections and mild cellulitis; dental pain; animal and human bites protocol and patients presenting with minor ailments protocol. Health Care Assistants (HCAs) had received further training in dementia awareness, learning disabilities, tissue viability, anaphylaxis, duty of candour and end of life care.
The centre had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
The leadership, governance and culture at the walk in centre were used to drive and improve the delivery of high-quality person-centred care.
Learning was celebrated and the centre was proactive in using opportunities to improve services by seeking and acting upon feedback from staff, patients and other stakeholders.
The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice