Avonside Health Centre

Updated 18 October 2017

Avonside Health Centre is a purpose built premises located in Warwick within the NHS South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The practice is well served by the local bus network and there is accessible parking for over 40 vehicles. The practice and facilities are fully accessible to wheelchair users.

The practice provides primary medical services to approximately 9,100 patients in the local community. The practice population is mostly white British.

The clinical staff team consists of three male and three female GP partners, two trainee GPs, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP), three practice nurses and a Health Care Assistant (HCA). The clinical team is supported by a practice manager and a team of 14 administrative and reception staff. The practice conducts GP training and is involved in research in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research.

The practice is open from 8am to 9.30pm on Monday; 8.30am to 6pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 8am to 6pm on Friday, and 8.15am to 11.15am on alternate Saturdays. The practice is not open on Sundays. Appointments are between 8.30am and 6pm on weekdays with extended hours appointments available on Monday evening and Saturday morning as described above. Appointments with the ANP are available from 8am on weekdays.

Telephone lines are open from 8.30am to 6pm on weekdays. Advice is available through the West Midlands Ambulance Service duty doctor from 8am to 8.30am and 6pm to 6.30pm on weekdays

Updated 18 October 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Avonside Health Centre on 5 July 2016. As a result of our inspection the practice was rated as good overall but required improvement for providing safe services. The full comprehensive report on the July 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Avonside Health Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was a desk-based focused inspection carried out on 19 September 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breach in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 5 July 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements.

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

Our key findings were as follows:

• The practice had carried out Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for all staff members and had amended their procedures to ensure all future staff recruitment included a DBS check. (DBS checks identify whether a person has a criminal record or is on an official list of people barred from working in roles where they may have contact with children or adults who may be vulnerable).

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 28 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.

• Performance for diabetes-related indicators was in line with CCG and national averages. For example 97% of patients with diabetes on the register received influenza immunisation in the last 12 months compared with CCG and national averages of 97% and 94% respectively.

• Double 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.

Updated 28 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 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.

• Performance for cervical indicators was in line with CCG and national averages. For example the percentage of women aged 25-64 receiving a cervical screening test in the last five years was 81% compared with CCG and national averages of 83% and 82% respectively.

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

• The practice provided combined ‘mum and baby clinics’ carrying out post-natal and early child development checks.

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

Updated 28 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.

• The practice recently participated in the over 75 health check scheme run by the CCG GP federation, with 225 checks carried out in the last 12 months (29% of the practice list).

• The practice directed older patients to appropriate support services.

Updated 28 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 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.

• Appointments were offered to accommodate those unable to attend during normal working hours.

Updated 28 November 2016

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

• Performance for mental health related indicators was in line with the CCG and national averages. For example the percentage of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who had a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in the last 12 months was 98% compared with CCG and national averages of 93% and 88% respectively.

• 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.

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

Updated 28 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 those with a learning disability.

• 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.

• The practice’s computer system alerted GPs if a patient was also a carer.The practice had identified 160 patients as carers (approximately 2% of the practice list).