• Doctor
  • GP practice

Stanmore Medical Group

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Health Centre, 5 Stanmore Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 3QA (01438) 313223

Provided and run by:
Stanmore Medical Group

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 13 September 2017

Stanmore Medical Group is a large practice in central Stevenage. It operates under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. A GMS contract is a nationally agree contract between general practices and NHS England for delivering primary care services to local communities. The senior GP is the Registered Manager and the practice’s main site is based at Stanmore Road which offers accessible facilities for patients with disabilities.

The practice has three additional branch sites, located at the Poplars Surgery, Canterbury Way Surgery and St Nicholas Health Centre. We did not visit the branch sites as part of the inspection. Stanmore Medical Group has a list size of approximately 35,000 patients including a number of patients who live in two local care homes. Stanmore Medical Group is a training practice which has qualified junior doctors working under the supervision of the GPs.

The patient population demographics attending Stanmore Medical Group are broadly in line with national averages, with an above average number aged 45 to 60 years. Levels of social deprivation are lower than average. The practice has expanded its contracted obligations to provide enhanced services to patients. An enhanced service is above the contractual requirement of the practice and is commissioned to improve the range of services available to patients. For example, the practice offers minor surgery, extended hours access and improved services for patients at risk of or following unplanned admissions.

The clinical team includes 10 GP partners (five male and five female), two male salaried GPs, five trainee GPs, eight practice nurses and one healthcare assistant. The team is supported by a recently appointed clinical pharmacist, two practice business and development managers and a business support staff of 28 who are organised into smaller teams in reception, the practice call centre, IT, secretarial and administrative work including prescribing and Quality Outcomes Framework and Enhanced Services monitoring. The business support staff are shared across the main site and the Canterbury Way Surgery.

Stanmore Medical Group opens from 8am to 6.30pm from Monday to Friday. A variety of appointments are available between these times. Extended hours appointments are available with both doctors and nurses on Monday evenings from 6.30pm to 9pm, on Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm to 7.30pm, and every fourth Saturday morning from 7am to 12pm.

There are further arrangements in place to direct patients to out-of-hours services provided by NHS 111 when the practice is closed.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 13 September 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an unannounced focused inspection at Stanmore Medical Group on 15 August 2017. This was to check that improvements had been made following the breaches of legal requirements we identified from our comprehensive inspection carried out on 12 January 2017. During our inspection in January 2017 we identified regulatory breaches in relation to;

  • Regulation 12 Health & Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014

- safe care and treatment.

  • Regulation 17 Health & Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014

- good governance.

This report only covers our findings in relation to the areas requiring improvement as identified on inspection in January 2017. You can read the report from this comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Stanmore Medical Group on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

The areas identified as requiring improvement during our inspection in January 2017 were as follows:

  • Ensure the system for managing high risk medicines is effective and keeps patients safe.
  • Review and strengthen its overall system for monitoring responses to safety alerts to ensure that any required actions are addressed.

In addition, the practice were told they should:

  • Review training systems to ensure staff are up to date in areas such as basic life support.
  • Continue to encourage patients to engage with the national screening programme for breast cancer.

Our focused inspection on 15 August 2017 showed that improvements had been made and our key findings across the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • The practice had an effective system in place for the safe management of patients receiving high risk medicines.
  • A system was in place to ensure the required actions were taken and recorded in response to safety alerts.
  • Staff had completed training relevant to their roles, for example safeguarding and basic life support training.
  • The practice had taken steps to encourage patients to engage with the national cancer screening programme.
  • The processes in place for managing risks had been reviewed and improved.
  • The practice had strengthened their governance arrangements and had introduced additional practice specific policies and risk assessments which were reviewed on a regular basis.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

People with long term conditions

Good

Updated 13 September 2017

At our comprehensive inspection on 12 January 2017 we found that the practice maintained registers of patients with long-term conditions and used these to monitor their health and ensure they were offered appropriate services.

However, breaches of legal requirements were identified and improvements needed to be made to ensure the practice provided safe services and was well-led. Consequently the practice was rated as requires improvement for this population group. During our focused inspection on 15 August 2017 we found the practice had taken action to improve and is now rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions as they received care that was safe and well-led.

Families, children and young people

Good

Updated 13 September 2017

At our comprehensive inspection on 12 January 2017 we found that appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

However, breaches of legal requirements were identified and improvements needed to be made to ensure the practice provided safe services and was well-led. Consequently the practice was rated as requires improvement for this population group. During our focused inspection on 15 August 2017 we found the practice had taken action to improve and is now rated as good for the care of families, children and young people as they received care that was safe and well-led.

Older people

Good

Updated 13 September 2017

At our comprehensive inspection on 12 January 2017 we found that the practice was responsive to the needs of older people in its population.

However, breaches of legal requirements were identified and improvements needed to be made to ensure the practice provided safe services and was well-led. Consequently the practice was rated as requires improvement for this population group. During our focused inspection on 15 August 2017 we found the practice had taken action to improve and is now rated as good for the care of older people as they received care that was safe and well-led.

Working age people (including those recently retired and students)

Good

Updated 13 September 2017

At our comprehensive inspection on 12 January 2017 we found patients could access online services such as repeat prescription ordering and appointment booking.

However, breaches of legal requirements were identified and improvements needed to be made to ensure the practice provided safe services and was well-led. Consequently the practice was rated as requires improvement for this population group. During our focused inspection on 15 August 2017 we found the practice had taken action to improve and is now rated as good for the care of working age people as they received care that was safe and well-led.

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia)

Good

Updated 13 September 2017

At our comprehensive inspection on 12 January 2017 we found that the practice maintained a mental health register which it used to monitor patients and offer relevant information and services.

However, breaches of legal requirements were identified and improvements needed to be made to ensure the practice provided safe services and was well-led. Consequently the practice was rated as requires improvement for this population group. During our focused inspection on 15 August 2017 we found the practice had taken action to improve and is now rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health as they received care that was safe and well-led.

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable

Good

Updated 13 September 2017

At our comprehensive inspection on 12 January 2017 we found that the practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability and patients at risk of hospital admission.

However, breaches of legal requirements were identified and improvements needed to be made to ensure the practice provided safe services and was well-led. Consequently the practice was rated as requires improvement for this population group. During our focused inspection on 15 August 2017 we found the practice had taken action to improve and is now rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable as they received care that was safe and well-led.