Westmoreland GP Centre

Updated 26 January 2017

Westmoreland GP Centre is based in the grounds of Aintree Hospital in Liverpool. There were 12,567 patients on the practice register at the time of our inspection.

The practice is a training practice managed by five GP partners, (2 male, 3 female). There are four salaried GPS and two GP registrars. There are two practice nurses, two advanced nurse practitioners and a health care assistant. Members of clinical staff are supported by two practice managers, reception and administration staff.

The practice telephone lines are open 8am to 6.30pm. Normal clinic times for GP appointments are 9am-12am, 1pm-3pm, 3pm-6pm and offered extended hours from 6.30pm-7pm Monday to Thursday. Pre-bookable appointments for GPs could be booked up to two weeks in advance and for the practice nurses up to four weeks. Patients requiring a GP outside of normal working hours are advised to contact the GP out of hours service, provided by Urgent Care 24 by calling 111.

The practice has a Personal Medical Services (GMS) contract and has enhanced services contracts which include childhood vaccinations.

Updated 26 January 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this practice on 17 June 2016. A breach of legal requirements was found. After the comprehensive inspection, the practice wrote to us to say what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to:

• Regulation 12 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment.

We undertook this focused inspection to check that they had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Westmoreland GP Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

The practice is now rated as good for providing safe services and is rated as good overall.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had addressed the breaches of regulations identified during the previous inspection. There were now systems in place for the authorisation for practices nurses to administer vaccinations and the monitoring of emergency medication for expiry dates.
• In addition, the practice had also updated information for patients on how to make a complaint; introduced a monitoring system for the cleaning of the premises and employed an external HR company.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 19 July 2016

The practice is rated as good for people with long term conditions.

The practice had registers in place for several long term conditions including diabetes and asthma. The practice had recently had new computer system installed but there were data issues. The practice currently had a limited recall system in place and was seeing patients for only one condition per appointment. We were advised that the recall system was being overhauled and there would be appointments for patients with more than one clinical need. The practice also had plans to employ a pharmacist to assist with medication reviews. There were in house phlebotomy services for diabetic and rheumatology patients.

Updated 19 July 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing services for families, children and young people.

The practice did regularly liaise with health visitors to review vulnerable children and new mothers. 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. The practice provided after school appointments.

Updated 19 July 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing services for older people.

The practice offered home visits and care home visits. The practice participated in meetings with other healthcare professionals to discuss any concerns. There was a named GP for the over 75s. 

Updated 19 July 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing services for working age people. The practice had an online system for booking appointments and offered pre bookable appointments until 7pm.

Updated 19 July 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing services for people experiencing poor mental health.

Patients experiencing poor mental health received an invitation for an annual physical health check. However, the uptake was low. Those that did not attend had alerts placed on their records so they could be reviewed opportunistically.  The practice was planning on working with local mental health teams to help improve performance in this area.

Updated 19 July 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing services for people whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability. It had carried out annual health checks and longer appointments were available for people with a learning disability. The practice had an emergency taxi fund for patients.