Balsall Heath Health Centre

Updated 18 January 2019

Balsall Heath Health Centre is situated in the Balsall heath area of Birmingham, within a purpose-built health centre. The practice population is approximately 3,000 patients with a higher number of patients under 65 years of age compared to the national average. Approximately 77% of the practice population identify as Black, Minority, Ethnic (BME). The level of deprivation in the area according to the deprivation decile is one out of ten (The Index of Multiple Deprivation 2015 is the official measure of relative deprivation for small areas (or neighbourhoods) in England. Balsall Heath Health Centre is led by partnership made up of 3 partners (two GPs, one male and one female) and a nurse partner (female). The practice also has a Health Care Assistant (HCA) (female).

The practice manager is supported by a team of administration and reception staff. The practice’s opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 8am until 6.30pm, 8am until 1pm on Wednesdays. The practice also provides extended hours on Saturday between 8am and 8pm at local hubs through the federation. Appointments are available throughout the day from 9am until 6.30pm on weekdays. The practice’s out of hours service is provided by NHS 111. Telephone lines are automatically diverted to the out of hours service when the practice is closed.

The practice is a member of the My Healthcare federation that offer extended hours at local hub centres, each weekday and at weekends from 8am until 8pm. The practice provides NHS primary health care services for patients registered with the practice and holds a General Medical Service (GMS) contract with the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Balsall Heath Health Centre is registered with CQC to provide five regulated activities associated with primary medical services, which are: treatment of disease, disorder and injury; family planning; maternity and midwifery; diagnostic and screening procedures and surgical procedures.

Updated 18 January 2019

At our previous inspection, we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing safe care and treatment. This was due to concerns that were identified relating to emergency medicines, premises risk assessment and mitigation and due to a breach in regulation of the Health and Social Care act 2012 relating to medicine safety alerts. At this inspection, the practice was able to demonstrate improvement and we rated the practice as good for providing safe care and treatment and overall.

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

We carried out an announced focused follow-up inspection at Balsall Heath Health Centre on 26 November 2018.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had embedded system to ensure that they received, disseminated and learned from medicine safety alerts. Examples we looked at demonstrated that they had been actioned and discussed.
• The practice was able to demonstrate that they held appropriate emergency medicines, in line with guidance and that they had developed a system to ensure they stayed in date and in stock.
• Risk at the practice was identified, assessed and mitigated appropriately and the practice demonstrated that they were seeking assurances from the owners of the building that actions outside of their direct control were being completed.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

Updated 1 December 2017

• We saw evidence that multidisciplinary team meetings took place on a regular basis and that discussions took place to understand and meet the range and complexity of people’s needs and to assess and plan ongoing care and treatment.

• 2016/17 QOF performance for overall diabetes related indicators was 95% compared to the CCG and the national average of 91%.

• During our inspection we saw evidence of a repeated audit demonstrated improvement in blood monitoring and management for diabetic patients.

• The practice had systems in place to identify and assess patients who were at high risk of admission to hospital. Patients who were at high risk of admission to hospital had personalised care plans in place.

• The practice advised patients to bring all medicines to their appointments when attending for chronic disease reviews, to ensure that thorough reviews took place and to aid safe monitoring and management of medicines. 

Updated 1 December 2017

• The practice operated an effective system for scheduling childhood immunisations and ensuring appropriate actions were taken if immunisation appointments were missed or risk factors identified. The practice regularly engaged with the health visitor.

• There were baby changing facilities at the practice. The practice offered urgent access appointments for children, as well as those with serious medical conditions.

• During school holidays the practice operated walk-in sessions for children that needed to be seen.

• Public Health England data for 2016/17 showed that the practice’s cervical screening uptake was 98% compared to the CCG average of 98% and the national average of 96%, with a 7% exception rate. 

Updated 1 December 2017

• The practice offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• Immunisations such as flu and shingles vaccines were also offered to patients at home, who could not attend the surgery.

• Patients had access to appropriate health assessments and checks. The practice offered annual reviews to patients aged 65 and over.

• The practiced offered personalised care plans for patients over the age of 75. These patients had a named GP and a care co-ordinator in place at the practice. 

Updated 1 December 2017

• Appointments could be booked over the telephone, face to face and online.

• The practice was part of a local GP federation called My Healthcare, this enabled patients to access services across five local practice up to 12 hours a day including early mornings and evenings, Monday to Friday and at varied times on weekends.

• Patients who may be in need of extra support were identified and supported by the practice. This included patients requiring advice on their diet, smoking and alcohol cessation.

• Patients had access to appropriate health assessments and checks, including health checks for new patients and NHS health checks for people aged 40–74.

Updated 1 December 2017

• The practice regularly worked with other health and social care organisations in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia. Patients with complex needs and patients experiencing poor mental health were regularly discussed during MDT meetings.

• 2016/17 QOF performance for overall mental health related indicators was 100% compared to the CCG average of 99% and the national average of 98%, with an exception rate of 3%.

• All patients on the practice’s mental health register had a comprehensive care plan documented in the record, which was agreed between individuals, their family and/or carers as appropriate.

• 2016/17 QOF performance for dementia related indicators was 100% compared to the CCG average of 88% and the national average of 84%. At the point of our inspection 100% of patients with dementia had a care plan in place and all of these patients were up to date with relevant blood tests, care plans had also been reviewed during annual face to face reviews. 

Updated 1 December 2017

• There were facilities in place for people with a disability and for people with mobility difficulties. There were hearing loop and translation services available.

• The practice offered annual reviews and flu vaccinations for vulnerable patients including carers and patients with a learning disability.

• Vulnerable patients were regularly reviewed and discussed as part of the Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings to support the needs of patients and their families.

• There were longer appointments available at flexible times for people with a learning disability, for carers and for patients experiencing poor mental health.