Burbury Medical Centre

Background to this inspection

Updated 20 July 2017

Burbury Medical Centre is part of the Birmingham South Central Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). CCGs are groups of general practices that work together to plan and design local health services in England. They do this by 'commissioning' or buying health and care services.

The practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary medical services. The practice has a general medical service (GMS) contract with NHS England. Under this contract the practice is required to provide essential services to patients who are ill and includes chronic disease management and end of life care.

The practice is located in an inner city area of Birmingham with a list size of approximately 3600 patients. Based on data available from Public Health England, the practice is located in one of the most deprived areas. Compared to the national average the practice had a higher proportion of patients between 0 and 40 and a lower proportion of patients over 40 years of age.

The practice is a partnership of three GPs (two male and one female). The practice also has two regular locum GPs (one male and one female). The GPs are supported by a practice nurse and one health care assistant. The non-clinical team consists of administrative and reception staff and a practice manager.

The practice is open between 9.30am and 1pm Monday to Friday. In the afternoon opening hours are from 4pm to 6.30pm weekdays except Thursdays when is the practice is closed in the afternoon. The practice provides extended hours service on Mondays from 6.30pm to 8pm. The practice has an alternative arrangement with an out of hours service provider (BADGER) for when the practice is closed between the contracted hours of 8am to 6.30pm. BADGER provides a telephone answering service and if a patient needs to be seen by a clinician, a duty GP is called by BADGER at the practice. The duty GP makes the clinical decision to see the patient or to make alternative arrangement.

The practice has opted out of providing out-of-hours services to their own patients. This service is provided by the external out of hours service provider when the practice is closed including Thursdays when the practice is closed for the afternoon.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 20 July 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Burbury Medical Centre on 21 July 2016. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the July 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Burbury Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 22 June 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to improve in areas that we identified in our previous inspection on 21 July 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to these improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

During our previous inspection data from the July 2016 national GP patient survey showed patients rated the practice below others for some aspects of care. The practice was able to demonstrate actions they were taking to improve in the areas identified. An internal survey carried out by the practice demonstrated positive feedback from patients.

When we inspected the practice in July 2016 we saw the practice had identified 18 carers (0.5% of the list size). We asked the practice to review their systems and processes to ensure more carers were identified so that they could be offered appropriate support. At this follow up inspection data we looked at showed 65 carers (2% of the practice list size) had been identified.

At our July 2016 inspection, we saw that the practice had carried out an equality access audit in April 2016. The audit identified that a hearing loop was required but this had not been actioned. At this follow up inspection, we saw that a hearing loop had been purchased.

However, the practice should:

Ensure the introduction of Saturday morning opening arrangement is reflected on the practice website.
Ensure patients are informed that they could to be seen before 9.30am at another surgery as part of the collaborative working arrangement.

Consider conducting a patient survey specifically to monitor satisfaction in relation to opening hours in view to making further improvements.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)

Chief Inspector of General Practice