Old Fire Station Surgery Also known as Dr W D Gorrod & Partners

Updated 1 November 2016

The Old Station Surgery was inspected on Monday 19 September 2016. This was a comprehensive inspection.

The practice is situated in Southampton. The practice provides a primary medical service in an area covering the Woolston, Scholing, Bursledon, Lower Stanwick and Hamble area to about 8,700 patients living within the area.

The local population is rated as being in the fifth decile for deprivation, which is on a scale of one to ten. The lower the decile the more deprived an area is compared to the national average. The practice population ethnic profile is predominantly White British. The average male life expectancy for the practice area is 79 years which matches the national average of 79 years; female life expectancy is 83 years which also matches the national average of 83 years.

There are six GP partners at the practice, one male and five female, who work full and part time providing 4.25 whole time equivalent GP hours. The GP partners hold managerial and financial responsibility for running the business. The team are supported by a practice manager, a deputy practice manager, a triage nurse, two health promotion nurses, a practice nurse, an elderly care nurse and a healthcare assistant/phlebotomist (Phlebotomists are people trained to take blood samples) and additional administration and reception staff.

The practice reception is open between 8.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday. Booked appointments are offered between 8.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm. The practice offers a range of appointment types including book on the day, telephone consultations and advance appointments. Extended hours are offered on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7.30am and Monday and Wednesday evenings until 6.30pm. The practice is also open one Saturday morning in four between 8.30am and 10.30am.

Outside of these times patients are directed to contact the out of hour’s service by using the NHS 111 number. Or advised to contact the Minor Injury Unit, Royal South Hants Hospital, Brintons Terrace, Southampton SO14 0YG. The Minor Unit is open every day from 8.00am to 10.00pm.

The practice has a Primary Medical Services (PMS) contract with NHS England.

The Old Station Surgery provides regulated activities from the main site at 68a Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Southampton, SO19 9AN. We visited this location during our inspection.

Updated 1 November 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Old Fire Station Surgery on 19 September 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. The practice was clean, tidy and hygienic. We found that suitable arrangements were in place that ensured the cleanliness of the practice was maintained to a high standard.
• The practice was run efficiently and was well organised. 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 area where the provider should make improvement is:

• Review the processes for identifying carers in the practice to increase those being identified and to offer carers support and guidance about available services.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 1 November 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.

• Nationally reported data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework showed that outcomes for patients were good for patients with long term conditions.For example, patients diagnosed with high blood pressure whose last blood pressure was within normal range in the preceding 12 months was 88% which was better than the national average of 84%.

• The practice held six monthly meetings with diabetes and respiratory consultants to achieve the best outcomes for patients.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients 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.

• Minor surgery was also available for the removal of ‘long term’ lesions and other skin conditions.

Updated 1 November 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 who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances. Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.

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

• The percentage of women aged 25-64 whose notes record that a cervical screening test has been performed in the preceding five years was 81%, which was comparable to the national average of 82%.

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

• Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.

• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses.

• A GP was a breast feeding peer supporter and a private room was available for this.

Updated 1 November 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.

• Every patient at the practice including older patients aged over 75 years had a named GP for continuity of care.

• The practice employ an elderly care nurse to carry out health checks, visit patients in their home and work with other agencies to achieve the best outcomes for these patients.

Updated 1 November 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.
• The practice had a 24 hour, seven day a week automated phone system to check, make or cancel appointments
• 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 1 November 2016

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

• 78% of patients diagnosed with dementia who had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which was comparable to the national average of 84%.

• The percentage of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who had a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in the record, in the preceding 12 months was 94% which was above the national average of 88%.

• 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 had told patients experiencing poor mental health about 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 1 November 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 homeless people, and those with a learning disability. 50% of the 18 patients on the practice learning disability register had received an annual review.
• The GP’s work with other agencies. For example, monitoring patient updates and care plans, providing access to voluntary sector organisations and befriending services at the Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings.
• The practice offered 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 about 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 in normal working hours and out of hours.