Station View Health Centre

Updated 15 June 2017

Station View Health Centre is located near the railway station in Hinckley in north west Leicestershire. The practice is housed in modern purpose built premises. There is an independent pharmacy on site.

The Practice has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract and is a training practice for trainee GPs. It undertakes minor surgery and joint injections.

• The practice has 12700 patients registered with a relatively high proportion of patients over 60.

• Although Hinckley is a lively market town it does have some pockets of deprivation.

• The practice has eight GP partners, and one salaried GP, equivalent to 6 full-time posts. Four of these are male. There are two advanced nurse practitioners and three practice nurses all of whom are female. They are supported by a practice manager and administrative staff and a reception team.

• The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday.Appointments are generally available from 8.30am to 11.40am and from 3pm to 5.20pm Monday to Friday. Some of these are telephone appointments.

• Out of hours services are provided by DHU (Derbyshire Health United). Patients are directed to the correct numbers if they phone the surgery when it is closed.

Updated 15 June 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs Rowe, Johnson, Howes, Reid, Spencer, Thuthiyil & Bhatti on 28 April 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good but the rating for providing a responsive service was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the April 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Drs Rowe, Johnson, Howes, Reid, Spencer, Thuthiyil & Bhatti on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 27 April 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to improve telephone access to the practice. This report covers our findings in relation to this.

.Overall the practice is still rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice continually monitored the access to appointment availability and telephone access and had introduced different steps to improve these areas. This was still work in progress but improvement had been demonstrated.

• The practice had altered the system for monitoring uncollected prescriptions which included a process for dealing with vulnerable patients having failed to collect their prescriptions.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 4 November 2016

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

• The practice actively reviewed guidance on long-term condition pathways to improve care, reduce unnecessary appointments and adhere to the latest guidelines.

• Data showed the practice were performing in line with the national average in relation to diabetes management for example, 88% of diabetic patients had had a recent foot examination compared to the national average of 88%.

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and worked closely with visiting specialist nurses such as the community diabetes nurse.

• Several GPs had expertise in treating patients with long-term conditions. For example, the practice initiated insulin for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and supported all of its adult diabetic patients on insulin.

• The practice followed appropriate guidelines for patients with asthma who were generally asymptomatic which allowed patients to self-assess their condition and avoid or reduce unnecessary appointments.

• Patients were referred to local services for lifestyle advice related to their conditions.

• Patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority and had a personalised care plan. An alert on their record ensured that receptionists were aware that these patients should be offered same-day contact preferably with their usual doctor.

• Where patients had a number of long-term conditions the practice took a holistic approach and offered them an annual review to cover all conditions where possible during one visit to the surgery. This included patients with learning disabilities.

• Home visits were available when needed.

Updated 4 November 2016

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

• The practice made it a priority to see unwell children on the same day.

• There were systems in place to identify 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 or who failed to attend hospital appointments.
• Immunisation rates were comparable to the locality rates for all standard childhood immunisations. For example, the rates for children under 2 were 98-100% compared with 97- 99% in the locality.
• The practice had baby changing facilities, a child friendly play area in the waiting room and a private room which could be used for breastfeeding.
• The practice offered a wide range of contraceptive services.
• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals. Chlamydia screening packs were available in different areas of the practice.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies. The practice offered 24 hour and six week baby checks.
• Staff told us they had good working relationships with local midwives and health visitors who were based in the centre.

Updated 4 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 older people in its population.

• The practice had identified patients most at risk of hospital admission. Each patient had a personalised care plan and an alert was put on the patient record. Any admissions were reviewed to identify avoidable factors.

• Patients who had been identified as being at risk of hospital admission, including those living in care homes were provided with a telephone number to provide access to the surgery without using the normal contact line.

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

• Nurses visited patients at home to provide immunisations and vaccinations such as for flu and shingles.

• The practice provided care for approximately 80 patients living in local care homes, with weekly ward rounds and home visits when needed. These patients were regularly reviewed and care plans updated.

• The practice was involved in a local scheme called Better Care Together which aimed to improve health and care for vulnerable local residents who needed to access social care.

Updated 4 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 offered services that were accessible, flexible and, where possible, offered continuity of care.

• Appointments were available from 8.30am to 5.20pm Monday to Friday with the majority being available on the day. Pre-bookable telephone consultations were available. Urgent same-day appointments and telephone consultations were available.

• Nursing staff offered a travel vaccination service.

• The practice offered a range of online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs for this age group. Data showed that 85% of eligible women had received a cervical screening test. (National average 82%)

• There was on-line access to book or cancel appointments and for repeat prescriptions.

• The practice offered minor surgery including eye cysts and a muscular-skeletal clinic on site which meant that patients could access these services locally.

Updated 4 November 2016

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

• Many patients living with dementia also had other long term conditions and were identified at being of greater risk of hospital admission. 82% had a face to face review in the preceding 12 months which is comparable with the national average of 84%.

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

• Patients living with dementia were also referred to the local memory clinic.

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

• Counselling services were provided by staff based in the practice building. This helped with smooth and prompt referral of patients who needed access to psychological therapies.

• 90% of patients with serious mental health problems had a comprehensive agreed care plan on their records which was comparable with national figures (88%)

• The practice provided patients experiencing poor mental health with information 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 when they may have been experiencing poor mental health.

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

• The practice offered same day appointments (including telephone consultations) for patients experiencing acute mental health issues.

Updated 4 November 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• The practice kept registers of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those who were homeless, had alcohol or substance misuse problems, those with a learning disability, patients who had caring responsibilities and vulnerable families.

• An administrator ensured all members of a vulnerable family were linked to ensure information was shared to safeguard the family. Alerts were also placed on records where hospital appointments had been missed.

• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability and staff were aware of individual patient needs such as what time of day a patient might prefer their appointment.

• The practice had identified 46 patients with a learning disability. Nine of these were cared for by specialist services such as a paediatrician or mental health services and were not routinely offered an annual health check or had made it clear they did not wish to attend or be invited for a health check. Patients were written to up to three times offering a health check in the surgery or at home which the practice offered to help reduce any stress the patient might feel. 80% of patients invited had a health check. The practice put alerts on patient records so that practice could offer opportunistic checks when the patient visited the surgery.

• The practice had an ‘easy read’ version of its practice leaflet to help patients understand the services available.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people. Some were referred to a community matron to ensure that their health and social care needs were identified.

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

• The practice worked with the drug and alcohol abuse service counsellor to provide appropriate referrals.

• 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.

• The practice had identified 174 or 1.4% of its patients as having a caring responsibility, it had a protocol in place to ensure that all new patients were asked if they had any caring responsibilities and also where patients had an alert on their record to ensure they were put on the register so they could be offered support.

• There was information on the web-site and in the waiting areas about local support groups, for example, for people caring for people with autism or dementia.

• Systems to monitor uncollected prescriptions, particularly where the patient’s circumstances may make them vulnerable could be strengthened.