Background to this inspection
Updated
1 September 2021
Alderwood Medical Practice is registered with the CQC as a partnership GP provider operating a GP practice in Cannock, Staffordshire. The practice is part of the NHS Cannock Chase Clinical Commissioning Group and holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England.
The practice operates from Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 1QN and provides regulated activities from this location only. The practice area is one of lower overall deprivation when compared with the national averages. At the time the inspection in the practice had 6,565 registered patients. Half of the practice population are aged between 20 to 60 years with an equal male to female ratio. The percentage of patients with a long-standing health condition is 58% which is the same as the CCG average and higher than the national averages of 51%. The patient population is mainly White British. The practice is a training practice for undergraduate medical students. However, no students were currently working at the practice.
The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday and closed on a Saturday and Sunday. The practice does not provide an out-of-hours service to their own patients, but patients are directed to the out-of-hours service, Staffordshire Doctors Urgent Care when the practice is closed via the 111 service. The appointment system is a book on the day system and there are a limited number of appointments with GPs and nurses that can be booked in advance. Routine appointments can be booked in person, by telephone or on-line. Home visits are available to patients with complex needs or who are unable to attend the practice. Patients can also access an extended hour’s service provided by Cannock Chase Clinical Alliance during evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
The practice staffing currently consists of:
- Two GP partners
- Two salaried GPs
- One advanced nurse practitioners
- One practice nurse
- One health care assistant
- One Pharmacist
- A practice manager
- A team of eight administrative and reception staff
The practice is currently an accredited centre in Staffordshire for patients within the county who have been classed as violent.
Updated
1 September 2021
We carried out an announced inspection at Alderwood Medical Practice on 13 July 2021. Overall, the practice is rated as Good .
The ratings for each key question are as follows:
Safe - Good
Effective -Good
Caring – Good
Responsive – Good
Well-led – Good
We carried over the ratings from the last inspection for the caring and responsive key questions.
Following our previous inspection on 28 May 2019, the practice was rated Requires Improvement overall and for the key questions of safe and well-led and good for effective.
The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Alderwood Medical Practice on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we carried out this inspection
This inspection was a focused follow-up inspection to follow up on:
Two Requirement Notices served for breaches in:
- Regulation 12 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment
- Regulation 17 Health and Social Care Act (RA) Regulations 2014 Good governance.
How we carried out the inspection
Throughout the pandemic CQC has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our inspections differently.
This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.
This included
- Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing
- Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system and discussing findings with the provider
- Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider
- Requesting evidence from the provider
- A site visit
Our findings
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- what we found when we inspected
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
We have rated this practice as Good overall and good for all population groups.
We found that:
- The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
- The practice maintained a register of vulnerable adults.
- The system for identifying and recording and analysing significant events had improved.
- The system fo tracking prescription stationary had been implemented and was effective.
- Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
- Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
- The practice adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
- The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
- Governance arrangements had been strengthened.
Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:
- Implement the staff well-being plan and work to improve staff morale.
- Continue to work towards establishing a patient participation group.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care