Archived: WALDOC Communication Centre

Updated 26 April 2018

WALDOC Communications Centre, known locally as WALDOC, has existed by name since 1996 however, it has slightly altered form and function over time. In its current form it has been running an in hours cover arrangement for GP practices within Walsall for the last four years. The current directors of the service took over in September 2017. The service provides GP cover arrangements through three clinical Hubs, which are based within the premises of other healthcare providers. These hubs provide service to the entire Walsall population. The service is registered with CQC for both remote medical advice and treatment service.

The service also provides remote medical advice through its communication centre. During the winter of 2017 / 2018, the service has participated in Walsall Clinical Commissioning Groups’ (CCG) winter pressure initiative.

The communication centre is open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday. Waldoc provides a telephone answering service for GP practices during the times of 8am-6.30pm and provides clinical cover on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 1pm to 6.30pm, when some GP Practices have half day closing. For the winter pressure initiative, the service is available from 6.30 pm to 9pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm Saturday and Sunday.

WALDOC is located at The Old Stables, Elmore Court, Elmore Green Road, Bloxwich, Walsall,

WS3 2QW.

The service website is: www.waldoc.co.uk

The service operates from three clinical Hubs: Pinfold Health Centre, Broadway Medical Practice and Darlaston Health Centre. As part of this inspection, we also visited the WALDOC facilities at the Pinfold Health Centre. The hubs at the Broadway Medical Practice and Darlaston Health centre were not inspected as part of this inspection.

Updated 26 April 2018

This service is rated as Good overall. (Services not previously inspected)

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at WALDOC Communications Centre 13 March 2018. This was part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The service had good systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When they did happen, the service learned from them and improved their processes.
• The service routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• Staff involved and treated people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients were able to access care and treatment from the service. Comments received from patients demonstrated that appointments were offered at convenient times for patients.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
• There was clear leadership and staff felt supported by management.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

Complete all employment checks consistently and in line with the newly refreshed recruitment policy.

Include detail about severe infections and associated conditions into existing protocol for call handlers determine call is a priority.

Formalise the root cause analysis process for incidents and complaints.

Record that infection control action plan actions have been completed.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice