The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Dr Veerayya Yarra & Dr Anitha John Also known as Wilnecote Health Centre

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

49 Smithy Lane, Wilnecote, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B77 5LB (01827) 284233

Provided and run by:
Dr Veerayya Yarra & Dr Anitha John

All Inspections

18 July 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Yarra and Dr John’s Practice on 18 July 2016. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • There was a system in place for reporting and recording significant events, however it was not always used when events had been identified.
  • Risks to patients were assessed but not always well managed.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Feedback from patients about their care was mixed, the practice generally scored lower than local and national averages in questions included in the GP National Patient Survey.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect but the feedback on how they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment was below local and national averages.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Investigations were made as a result of complaints and concerns. Results including learning outcomes were documented and shared with all staff.
  • Patient feedback complimented the practice on access via the telephone system.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management..
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We saw areas where the practice must make improvements:

  • Ensure that all necessary pre-employment checks are carried out on staff.
  • Implement systems and processes to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service.
  • Ensure that all significant events identified are recorded and reviewed.

We saw areas where the practice should make improvements:

  • Complete and assess fire evacuation drills at the practice.
  • Implement a system to track blank prescriptions throughout the practice.
  • Implement a system to record that medicines alerts have been acted on.
  • Consider how the practice could proactively identify carers in order to provide further support and treatment.
  • Ensure that a copy of the business continuity plan is accessible in such an event that restricted access into the building.
  • Review the patient recall system to improve the number of regular reviews carried out on patients with long term conditions.
  • Consider how to further promote the national screening programmes for detection of cancer.
  • Carry out monitoring of clinical capacity to assess appointment availability against demand.
  • Ensure that verbal complaints are recorded and reviewed in addition to written complaints.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

During a check to make sure that the improvements required had been made

We carried out this review to follow up on one area of non-compliance from our previous inspection. We did not visit the service as part of this review or speak with patients or staff. However, we reviewed the action plan and additional information that the provider sent us detailing how they were going to address the issues.

We saw that the provider had introduced systems to check the expiry date of all medication in the practice. The results of the patient survey had been reviewed and suggestions put forward to address any identified issues. The practice had reviewed the emergency medicines available in the practice and decided that these were sufficient, given the limited amount of clinical staff in the building at any one time.

27 May 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out this inspection to follow up on three areas of non-compliance. We did not speak with patients. We spoke with staff, checked equipment and looked at records relating to safety checks and staff training.

Vaccines were stored safely as the medication refrigerators had been calibrated and the temperatures maintained within the safe range. Medical equipment had been tested and calibrated to demonstrate that it was in good working order and safe to use.

Staff including the named safeguarding lead had attended safeguarding training at a level appropriate to their role. Staff had access to contact details for the external agencies involved in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

A patient satisfaction survey had been carried out and the results were being collated. Efforts had been made to establish a Patient Participation Group.

Records demonstrated that the emergency medication, defibrillator and oxygen stored in the treatment room and consulting rooms were checked and in date.

Systems were not in place to check the expiry dates of medication and items that had passed their expiry date were found in the treatment room.

Although some clinical audits had been carried out, there was no evidence of a completed audit cycle, including analysis of the results and plans to implement any required actions.

18 October 2013

During a routine inspection

We visited the practice to establish that the needs of patients were being met. On the day of the inspection we spoke with five patients, four staff members, a GP and the practice manager. The patients we spoke with were all complimentary about the service. One patient said; 'The reception staff are very friendly, they treat you very well'.

Patients told us that they received care, treatment and support that met their needs. One patient said; 'The doctors are very good, they give you as long as you need'. Policies for the safe delivery of care were in place; however these had not always been implemented or followed.

The policies for protecting children and vulnerable adults were not robust, some staff were unaware of the local guidance relating to multi agency safeguarding issued by the local authority.

Staff must be appropriately supported, trained and supervised in delivering care and treatment to patients who used the service. Staff told us they had annual appraisals and the training they required. Generally staff felt supported in their role.

Systems were not in place to obtain feedback from patients regarding the quality of the service and the care and treatment provided at the surgery.