Dr AK Gupta's Practice Also known as springfeniscohealthlink

Updated 17 January 2017

Dr Gupta’s practice is situated in a residential area of Darwen. The practice has 3118 patients registered. The practice is situated in a purpose built property in a residential area. There is a small amount of patient parking available on site and access to local transport links. The practice has three GP partners, one male and two female, a practice nurse, a respiratory nurse, one health care assistant, a practice manager and six administration/reception staff. The practice is a training practice and teaches medical students.

The registered patient population are predominantly of white British background. The practice age profile demonstrates slightly lower number of patients aged 30-60 years old, and marginally higher numbers of patients aged 65 and over in comparison to the local and national averages.

The practice has a higher proportion of patients with a long standing health condition at 61% compared to the CCG and national averages of 56% and 54% respectively.

Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as five on a scale of one to 10. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level 10 the lowest.

The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday and extended hours until 8pm are provided at the branch surgery each Monday. There are also arrangements to ensure patients receive urgent medical assistance when the practice is closed. To access treatment outside of the practice opening hours patients are asked to contact the NHS 111 service to obtain healthcare advice or treatment.

The practice has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England and is part of the NHS Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Updated 17 January 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Gupta’s Practice Springfield Surgery, 102 Bolton Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 1BZ on Tuesday 8 November 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.
• 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 areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review the support and training provided for the infection control lead to help them to carry out their role effectively.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 17 January 2017

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.
• 97% of patients with diabetes, on the register, who have had influenza immunisation in the preceding 1 August to 31 March (01/04/2015 to 31/03/2016) which was comparable with the CCG and national average of 97% and 94% respectively.
• 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.
• When patients with long term conditions were admitted to hospital they were followed up by the practice within three days of discharge.

Updated 17 January 2017

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.
• Immunisation rates for children aged 12 months was between 50% and 72% which was below the CCG average of 90% and 94%.
• Overall rates for the vaccinations schedule given to children up to five years of age ranged from 35% to 86% (CCG averages 90% to 95%).
• 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.
• 77% of women aged 25-64 whose notes record that a cervical screening test has been performed in the preceding 5 years (01/04/2015 to 31/03/2016) which was better than the CCG and national average of 68% and 73% respectively.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.
• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors, social services and school nurses.

Updated 17 January 2017

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 held meetings with district nurses, health visitors, Age UK, the alcohol team, social services, a carers service, community matrons and the rapid access team. These meetings were held every two months.
• There were established links between the practice and a hospital consultant for older patients which provided an expert opinion and where possible avoided hospital admissions.
• The practice offered dedicated telephone access for care homes and community teams to support patients at risk of hospital admission.
• 56% of patients aged 60-69 were screened for bowel cancer in last 30 months which was better than the CCG average of 52% and comparable with the national average of 57%.

Updated 17 January 2017

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.
• Feniscowles the branch surgery has extended opening hours on a Monday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Updated 17 January 2017

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

• 100% of patients diagnosed with dementia whose care has been reviewed in a face-to-face review in the preceding 12 months (01/04/2015 to 31/03/2016) which is better than the CCG and national average of 87% and 84% 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.
• 89% of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who have a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in the record, in the preceding 12 months (01/04/2015 to 31/03/2016) which was comparable with the CCG and national average of 92% and 88% respectively.
• 95% of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses whose alcohol consumption has been recorded in the preceding 12 months (01/04/2015 to 31/03/2016) which was better than the CCG and national average of 92% and 89% respectively.
• 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 17 January 2017

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, travellers and 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.