The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Dr Hanume Thimmegowda Also known as Albion Mount Medical Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

47 Albion Street, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF13 2AJ (01924) 430676

Provided and run by:
Dr Hanume Thimmegowda

All Inspections

29 June 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Hanume Thimmegowda on 29 June 2016. 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 an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named 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 proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw two areas of outstanding practice:

  • The practice used every opportunity to encourage eligible women to attend for cervical screening. The uptake for the cervical screening programme was 91%, which was significantly higher than the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and national average of 82%.
  • The practice could demonstrate significant improvements for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data showed that COPD related indicators were higher than the national average and the practice demonstrated additional improvements in 2015/16. For example, 2014/15 data showed that 94% of patients with COPD had their diagnosis confirmed by in-house post bronchodilator spirometry (CCG average 92%, national average 90%). We saw evidence that this increased to 99% in unverified 2015/16 data provided by the practice.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Carry out risk assessments of non-clinical staff to identify whether Disclosure and Barring (DBS) checks are necessary.
  • Put arrangements in place for the periodic testing of building electrical systems.
  • Provide emergency oxygen at the branch practice.
  • Install and train staff in the use of secondary temperature monitoring devices for the vaccine fridges and take appropriate action to ensure the vaccine fridge at the branch practice cannot be switched off or unplugged by mistake.
  • Put systems in place to identify patients who are carers and support them as appropriate.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

28 November and 3 December 2013

During a routine inspection

As part of our inspection we spoke with three people who used the service, five staff members; including one doctor, a practice nurse, the practice manager, deputy manager and reception staff. These are some of the things people told us:

"It's wonderful they are very good."

"I find the practice 110% the receptionists are really nice."

"They are absolutely brilliant I have no problems with the practice."

We found care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that ensured people's safety and welfare.

Staff had received abuse awareness training and procedures were in place to respond appropriately to any allegation of abuse.

During our inspection we found the practice did not have effective recruitment and selection processes in place. This means the practice did not have the necessary checks and risk assessments in place to ensure people were protected from potentially unsuitable staff.

People had their comments and complaints listened to and where appropriate action had been taken.