Archived: Cudmore House

On Sunday 30 June 2013 we visited Cudmore House. Cudmore House is based in Truro; it is the call centre and management offices for Serco out of hour's GP service. We also visited three clinics within the County to meet and speak with patients and staff. On Monday 1st July 2013 we met with senior management at Cudmore House.

As part of our inspection we spoke with patients who were attending a clinic within the county to obtain feedback about their experience of using the service. We observed how staff interacted with patients and spoke with them. We listened to a selection of calls and observed how patient's calls were initially handled by Health Care Advisors at the call centre and managed by clinicians'.

We met and spoke with the registered manager for the service, the general manager, the complaints manager, administrative staff, health care advisors, GP's, nurse advisors, clinical floor walker, and shift leaders.

Overall patient feedback regarding their experience of using the out of hour's service was positive. Patients were complementary about the staff in the call centre and about the clinicians.

At our last inspection we issued a compliance action relating to outcome 13, because we found there were not enough Health Care Advisers employed to meet people's needs nor to meet the National Quality Requirements (NQRs) relating to call handling time.

Our most recent inspection has found that the provider is now complaint with outcome 13. Due to an increased number of Health Care Advisors, the provider's performance against the NQR has steadily improved.

We found, people who used the service were given appropriate information and support regarding their care or treatment, and people's privacy, dignity and independence were respected.

People experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs.

There was an effective complaints system available and comments and complaints people made were responded to appropriately.

We spoke with Health Care Advisors (the staff that initially talk to patients that have called the out of hour's service), GP's, Shift Managers, the Deputy Clinical Director, the Registered Manager, the Business Change Manager, the Business Support Manager, the interim General Manager, and two interim contract Directors.

We found, that people who used the service were given appropriate information and support regarding their care or treatment.

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

We also found that people were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

The provider had an effective system in place to identify, assess and manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of people who use the service and others.

Although, the number of clinical staff employed by the organisation had increased since our previous inspection in April 2012; we found that there were not enough Health Care Advisors employed to meet people's needs and to meet the National Quality Requirements (NQR's) relating to call handling time.