Archived: Thurmaston Health Centre

The new provider, Charnwood GP Network Ltd started providing services at Thurmaston Health Centre on 11 April 2018. They inherited the ratings and special measures from the previous provider Leicester Medical Group.

We carried out a comprehensive inspection at Thurmaston Health Centre on 17 December 2020 to look at the improvements that had been made since this provider took over the contract. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the evidence was reviewed and staff interviews were carried out remotely in advance of the site visit on 1st and 2nd December 2020.

We found that the new provider had made significant improvements and addressed most of areas of concern found at the previous comprehensive inspection. The practice is rated as Requires Improvement overall and Requires Improvement for each of the key questions of Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led, and all the population groups.

The practice is rated as Requires Improvement for providing a safe service because: -

• Whilst the practice had most safe systems in place there needed to be further work in relation to safeguarding children and monitoring on patients on some high-risk medicines.

The practice is rated as Requires Improvement for providing an effective service and for all the population groups because: -

• The practice did not have a clear system for the recall of patients with long term conditions.
• The system in place for patients who were on the palliative care register was not effective
• Cervical screening data was below CCG and national averages and there was no process to improve uptake.

The practice is rated as Requires Improvement for providing a caring service because: -

• Although the practice had undertaken a patient survey to ascertain people’s views of the service this was limited in number and presentation of the patient population. The national patient survey reflected a less positive experience of patients at the practice.

The practice is rated as Requires Improvement for providing a responsive service because: -

• The practice did not always organise services to meet patients’ needs. Patient experience had improved but was not in line with local and national averages.

The practice is rated as Requires Improvement for providing a well-led service because: -

• Significant improvements had been made and more effective systems and processes were in place to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care. However further work was required on safeguarding children, monitoring of patients on a direct oral anticoagulant, recall system for patients with long term conditions, some patient records in terms of previous coding, palliative care, appraisals, formation of a patient participation group in order to provide full assurance of an effective governance system.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care. (Please see specific details on actions required at the end of this report).

In addition, the provider should:

• Continue to audit patient records to ensure coding and consultation entries are reviewed to ensure that safe care and treatment is provided in a safe way.
• Take action to improve the carers register to ensure support can be offered where appropriate.
• Promote and drive the uptake of cervical and cancer screening programmes with patients registered at the practice.
• Take action to review of significant event and complaints meeting minutes to ensure learning and actions are captured. discussion, learning and actions.

I am taking this service out of special measures. This recognises the significant improvements that have been made to the quality of care provided by this service.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence table.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care