Blackheath Standard PMS

Updated 29 September 2016

Blackheath Standard Surgery is situated in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Services are provided from one location at 11–13 Charlton Road, Blackheath, London, SE3 7HB. Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is responsible for commissioning health services for the locality.

The surgery has been in existence on the current site since 1948 and was originally based in one half of a semi-detached property. An extensive conversion of the property was carried out in 1997 when the two semi-detached houses were combined to provide the current surgery which consists of eight consulting rooms and two treatment rooms.

The practice has 6573 registered patients. The practice age distribution is similar to the national average for most age groups with a lower than average rate for patients 10 to 20 years old and a higher than average rate for patients 25 to 44 years old. The surgery is based in an area with a deprivation score of 6 out of 10 (10 being the least deprived).

The practice operates under a Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract and is signed up to a number of local and national enhanced services (enhanced services require an enhanced level of service provision above what is normally required under the core GP contract).

The practice is registered as a partnership with the Care Quality Commission to provide the regulated activities of diagnostic and screening services, maternity and midwifery services, treatment of disease, disorder or injury and surgical procedures. There are currently two partners.

Clinical services are covered by GPs providing 40 sessions per week. There were two full time GP partners (male and female); one full time salaried GP and two full time GP Registrars. Clinical services were also provided by two Practice Nurses (1.7 wte) and two Health Care Assistants (1.4 wte).

Blackheath Standard PMS is a training practice offering placements to final year medical students and GP Registrars (GP Registrars are qualified doctors undergoing specialist GP training).The surgery usually provides placements for two GP Registrars each year.

Administrative services are provided by a Practice Administrator (0.8 wte) and administration, reception and secretarial staff (5.12 wte).

The practice reception and telephone lines are open from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.

Extended hours for pre-booked appointments are provided Monday to Thursday from 7am to 8am.

GP appointments are available from 7am to midday and 3.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Thursday and from 8am to midday and 3.30pm and 6.30pm on Friday.

Practice Nurse appointments are available between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

The practice is closed at weekends.

When the surgery is closed the out of hours GP services provider is accessed via NHS 111.

A practice leaflet was available and the practice website included details of services provided by the surgery.

Updated 29 September 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Blackheath Standard Surgery on 2 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 were able to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day. However, some patients told us they had difficulty getting through to the surgery by telephone and that there could be delays with appointment times.
• The practice had good facilities and was equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. However, the premises was in need of updating and redecoration.
• 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• The provider should ensure that all actions identified from the infection control audit are completed.

• The provider should review how patients with caring responsibilities are identified and recorded on the clinical system to ensure information, advice and support is made available to all carers.

• The provider should continue to review patients’ satisfaction for access to routine appointments.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 29 September 2016

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.

• Performance for diabetes related indicators was comparable to the CCG and national average.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• The Year of Care (YoC) approach was offered to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure or diabetes. (The Year of Care programme is aimed at improving the diagnosis and self-management of long term conditions).

• All patients with long-term conditions had a named GP and a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met. For those patients with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 29 September 2016

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

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and those who were at risk. For example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances.

• Immunisation rates were comparable with local averages for all standard childhood immunisations.

• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and we saw evidence to confirm this.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was comparable with the CCG and national average.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

• We saw examples of joint working with midwives and health visitors.

Updated 29 September 2016

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

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.

• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• Performance for conditions commonly found in older people were comparable to the CCG and national average.

• The practice provided services for a local Care Home. These patients were reviewed quarterly.

Updated 29 September 2016

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

• The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care.

• When appropriate 'commuter' flu vaccination clinics were offered to increase uptake.

• 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 29 September 2016

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

• Performance for mental health and dementia related indicators was comparable to the CCG and national average.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.

• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia.

• The practice told patients experiencing poor mental health how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• The practice had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.

• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

Updated 29 September 2016

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 including those with a learning disability.

• The practice offered annual reviews and 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 informed vulnerable patients how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies.