Somers Town Medical Centre

Updated 14 November 2018

Somers Town Medical Centre is a GP practice located in the London Borough of Camden. The practice is part of the NHS Camden Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The practice is provided by AT Medics and run by six GPs. The practice has been registered under the current provider since July 2017. AT Medics is spread across 16 CCG areas, responsible for over 235,000 patients over 37 Primary Care sites, including Urgent Care Services.

Somers Town Medical Centre provides care to approximately 3400 patients. The practice has step free access and a lift. There is good local transport including regular buses and a nearby rail station.

The practice area population has a deprivation score of 2 out 10 (10 being the least deprived). The practice serves a diverse population with approximately 70% of its patients from a Bengali background who do not have English as their first language.

The practice holds a PMS (Personal Medical Services) contract with NHS England.

The practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide the regulated activities: diagnostic and screening procedures, surgical procedures, maternity and midwifery services, family planning, and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The practice team consists of a male and female GP, one female practice nurse, one female prescribing pharmacist, a female physician associate, a practice manager, an assistant practice manager and an administrative and reception team.

The practice’s opening hours are 8am and 6:30pm on weekdays and 9am -12pm on Saturdays. GP appointments are available Monday to Friday between 9am and 12pm, and from 3pm to 6pm, and on Saturdays 9am to 12pm.

Standard appointments are 10-15 minutes long, with double appointments available to patients who request them, or for those who have been identified with complex needs.

The practice has opted out of providing an out-of-hours service. When the practice is closed, patients are redirected to a contracted out-of-hours service. The local Clinical Commissioning Group has commissioned an extended hours service, which operates between 6.30pm and 9pm on weeknights and from 8am to 8pm at weekends at four “Hub” locations across the borough. One of those Hub locations operates from this practice. Patients may book appointments with the service by contacting the practice or the Hubs themselves.

Updated 14 November 2018

This practice is rated as Good overall. (not previously rated under the current provider)

The key questions at this inspection 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 Somers Town Medical Centre on 11 September 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved its processes.
• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence-based guidelines.
• Feedback from patient interviews and CQC comment cards was positive about the way staff treated them.
• Patient feedback indicated that people sometimes found it difficult to gain access to the practice by telephone, although they were usually able to get an appointment when they did get through.
• The provider’s patient list included a large cohort of Bengali patients and in response full time Bengali interpreters were based at the practice.
• There was visible leadership and a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the practice.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Continue with the action plan to improve and address the low scores in the GP patient survey, particularly for questions relating to listening to patients; treating patients with care and concern; telephone access and appointment bookings.
• Continue with efforts to improve the up-take of childhood immunisations.
• Continue with efforts to improve the up-take of cervical screening.
• Review providing all reception staff with sepsis training.

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 14 November 2018

Updated 14 November 2018

Updated 14 November 2018

Updated 14 November 2018

Updated 14 November 2018

Updated 14 November 2018