Archived: Salford Health Matters Homeless Service

Updated 11 February 2016

Salford Health Matters Homeless Service is a practice with approximately 110 registered patients. The practice is part of the Salford Health Matters Community Interest Company that is run by a board of directors. The surgery runs out of the Christian Windsor Centre which is a homeless service that offers food and shelter to homeless people. The patient population consists mainly of young adults, and a large percentage of these are males. The practice staff comprises of three GPs, a practice nurse, a healthcare assistant, and a link worker. The service is delivered as a Locally Commissioned Service by Salford CCG. Salford Health Matters has a Personal Services Medical contract and provides the following registered activities: Surgical procedures, Diagnostic and screening procedures, Treatment of disease, disorder or injury, and Family planning.

GP appointment times during the week of our inspection were available as follows:

Mondays 12.30pm-2pm (Link worker available from 8am-2pm)

Tuesdays Closed

Wednesdays 12.30pm-2pm  (Link worker available from 8am-2pm)

Thursdays 12.30pm-2pm  (Link worker available from 8am-2pm)

Fridays Closed

Saturdays Closed

Outside of opening hours, patients can access services at one of the sister practices, or they will be automatically diverted to the out of hours services.

Updated 11 February 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Salford Health Matters Homeless Service on 25 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. All opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.

• The practice worked closely with other organisations and with the local community in planning how services were provided to ensure that they meet people’s needs. For example the practice had close links with the Drug and Alcohol Team, Citizens Advice Bureau and Sexual Health Services.

• 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 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.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice facilities were in need of improvement and this had been recognised by Salford Health Matters.
• 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.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice employed a link worker that assessed the health and social care needs of the patient. This enabled a care plan to be put in place that was tailored to the specific needs of the patient.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Damage to the staircase leading up to the GP surgery was observed. While there have been no instances of an accident, there is potential for a trip to occur. Maintenance on this area should be carried out to ensure the staircase is safe for all people using it.

• The current method of examining patients involved the blind on the surgery door being pulled down, and a member of staff standing outside of the surgery to prevent anyone from entering during examination. A curtain round the examination bed needs to be installed in order to maintain patient privacy.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 11 February 2016

Due to the low number of people with long-term conditions using the service, there was not enough evidence to make a judgement.

Updated 11 February 2016

Due to the low number of Families, children and young people using the service, there was not enough evidence to make a judgement.

Updated 11 February 2016

Due to the low number of older people using the service, there was not enough evidence to make a judgement.

Updated 11 February 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students).

• 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.

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.

Updated 11 February 2016

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

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

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• 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.

• The practice had in place a screening tool to identify patients that could be suffering from anxiety or depression. The tool was used when registering new patients.

Updated 11 February 2016

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

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including homeless people, travellers and those with a learning disability.

• It offered longer appointments for people with a learning disability.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.

• It had told vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in normal working hours and out of hours.

• Clothing would often be donated to patients whose clothing was no longer suitable to wear

• Financial assistance could be offered to patients who needed to travel to hospital for an appointment but lacked the funds to access public transport

Extra support was offered to patients that were suffering harassment. Patients would be advised to speak to a member of staff who would help deal with the situation.