Westleigh Medical Practice

Updated 7 June 2017

Westleigh Medical Centre provides primary care services to its registered list of about 4100 patients. The main location of the practice is situated in Leigh and the branch surgery in Abram.

Both the main and branch surgery have suitable facilities with disabled access. There are parking facilities at the main site and both sites are accessible by local transport links.

There are three GPs (two male and one female) who undertake regular sessions at the practice. There are also two advanced nurse practitioners, one practice nurse and two healthcare assistants, including one currently in training. There is also a practice manager, and supporting administration staff. The practice used regular locum GPs. The practice has significantly increased clinical staffing levels in the last year.

The male life expectancy for the area is 76 years compared with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) average of 77 years and the national average of 79 years. The female life expectancy for the area is 81 years compared with the CCG average of 81 years and the national average of 83 years.

The practice delivers commissioned services under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract and is a member of NHS Wigan Borough CCG.

Westleigh Medical Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8am. It closes on Wednesdays at 1pm and on Fridays at 5pm and is open later on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday until 6.30pm.

Abram surgery opens Monday, Tuesday and Friday between 8.30am and 1pm and then again between 3.30pm until 6.30pm. On a Wednesday they close at 1pm and on Thursdays they are open all day from 8.30am until 6.30pm. The practice has extended hours on Tuesday evening surgery at Westleigh Medical Centre from 6.30pm and on Thursday at Abram Surgery from 6.30pm.

Patients requiring a GP outside of normal working hours are advised to contact the surgery and they will be directed to the local out of hours service which is provided by Bridgewater NHS Foundation Trust –through NHS 111. Additionally patients can access GP services in the evening and on Saturdays and Sundays through the Wigan GP access alliance at locations across Wigan Borough.

Updated 7 June 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Westleigh Medical Centre on 11 May 2017. Overall the practice 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The practice had defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient safety.

• Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Results from the national GP patient survey showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients we spoke with said they found it easy to make an appointment with a GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice had implemented a system of daily informal meetings known as “huddles”. Huddles enabled the practice team to have frequent but short briefings so that they could stay informed, review work and make plans, and this ensured a consistent approach to communicating messages to staff. We observed this had a positive impact on team morale.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements:

Importantly the provider should:

• Review the audit system so that the clinical audit cycle is completed for all audits.

• Continue to monitor the practice system for identifying carers to increase the number recorded.
• Introduce a system for monitoring and auditing cleaning schedules.
• Consider that key members of staff keep a copy of the practice business continuity plan at home.
• Review the information provided for patients in the waiting areas for relevance and whether up to date.
• Introduce regular all staff meetings with a standing agenda that includes information about significant events and complaints.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 7 June 2017

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in long-term disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.
• All the diabetes indicators we reviewed from Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) data were above the CCG and national averages.
• The practice followed up on patients with long-term conditions discharged from hospital and ensured that their care plans were updated to reflect any additional needs.
• There were emergency processes for patients with long-term conditions who experienced a sudden deterioration in health.
• All these patients had a named GP and there was a system to recall patients for a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met. For those patients with the most complex needs, the practice worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care. There were shared care protocols in place with secondary care, for example for rheumatology.

Updated 7 June 2017

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

• From the sample of documented examples we reviewed we found there were systems to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of accident and emergency (A&E) attendances.
• Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.
• Patients told us, on the day of inspection, that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals.
• The practice provided support for premature babies and their families following discharge from hospital.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.
• The practice worked with midwives and health visitors to support this population group. For example, in the provision of ante-natal, post-natal and child health surveillance clinics.
• The practice had emergency processes for acutely ill children and young people and for acute pregnancy complications.

Updated 7 June 2017

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

• Staff were able to recognise the signs of abuse in older patients and knew how to escalate any concerns.
• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older patients in its population.
• The practice was responsive to the needs of older patients, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.
• The practice identified at an early stage older patients who may need palliative care as they were approaching the end of life. It involved older patients in planning and making decisions about their care, including their end of life care.
• The practice followed up on older patients discharged from hospital and ensured that their care plans were updated to reflect any extra needs.
• Where older patients had complex needs, the practice shared summary care records with local care services.
• Older patients were provided with health promotional advice and support to help them to maintain their health and independence for as long as possible

Updated 7 June 2017

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

• The needs of these populations had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care, for example, extended opening hours and telephone consultations.
• 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 7 June 2017

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

• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients living with dementia.
• 84% of patients diagnosed with dementia had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which was above the national average.
• The practice specifically considered the physical health needs of patients with poor mental health and dementia.
• The practice had a system for monitoring repeat prescribing for patients receiving medicines for mental health needs.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those living with dementia.
• Patients at risk of dementia were identified and offered an assessment.
• The practice had information available for patients experiencing poor mental health about how they could access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• The practice had a system to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.
• Staff interviewed had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

Updated 7 June 2017

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

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances which included asylum seekers and those with a learning disability.
• End of life care was delivered in a coordinated way which took into account the needs of those whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.
• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.
• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.
• The practice had information available for vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• Staff interviewed knew how to recognise signs of abuse in children, young people and adults whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. They 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.