The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Townfield Health Centre - Dr Lee

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Townfield Close, Prenton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 9JW (0151) 488 7511

Provided and run by:
Townfield Health Centre - Dr Lee

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

27 January 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This is the report of findings from our inspection of Townfield Health Centre - Dr Lee which is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services.

We undertook a planned, comprehensive inspection on 27 January 2015 at the practice location in Townfield Health Centre. We spoke with patients, relatives, members of the patient participation group, staff and the practice management team.

The practice was rated as good. A safe, caring, effective, responsive and well- led service was provided that met the needs of the population it served.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • Systems were in place to ensure patients were safe from risks and harm. Incidents and significant events were identified, investigated and reported. Lessons learnt were disseminated to staff. Improvements were needed to ensure staff were safely recruited, including locum GPs. Infection risks and medicines were overall safely managed.
  • Patients care needs were assessed and care and treatment was considered in line with best practice national guidelines. Staff were proactive in promoting good health and referrals were made to other agencies to ensure patients received the treatments they needed.
  • Feedback from patients showed overall they were happy with the care given by all staff. They told us staff listened to them, were kind, caring and compassionate and treated them with dignity and respect.
  • The practice planned its services in response to the differing needs of patients. The appointment system provided access to the service. Patients were encouraged to give their views about the service and the practice listened to them.
  • There was a clear leadership structure in place. Quality and performance were monitored, risks were identified and managed. The practice ensured that staff had access to learning and improvement opportunities.

There were some areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

  • Ensure that infection control training and update is undertaken by all staff on a regular basis.
  • Ensure that full checks are undertaken on independent locum GPs prior to employment.
  • Ensure that the environmental risk assessment is specific to the practice.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

27 August 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Patients told us they were very pleased with the service at this practice. They said the two permanent GPs were kind, caring and effective. They had confidence in their clinical skills and received appropriate care and treatment with referrals made to secondary care in a timely manner.

Some comments made included:

'Dr goes that extra mile he is a very compassionate and talented GP.'

'Dr goes above and beyond and I feel safe and very well looked after."

'I have just been to see the new GP she was really good and listened to me I didn't feel rushed. I would be very happy to make an appointment with her.'

'I have been referred a few times over the years to the hospital and it has always happened quickly. The doctor always checks and chases things up if he feels it is taking too long.'

Patients were treated and cared for appropriately. Doctors took time to listen to patients and assess their needs, although this could sometimes lead to appointments running over their allocated time and patients having to wait for periods of time at their appointment. The appointment system could be improved to ensure efficient and effective use of doctor's time and to ensure accessibility to appointments.

We found that although improvements were evident there was still a shortfall in the required information relating to staff to ensure specified information was available in respect of people employed.

We found that staffing at the practice was mostly appropriate. Active recruitment to the vacant GP post would mean a full complement of GPs would be achieved. There were sufficient staff in administrative roles. However there was a lack of suitably qualified and experienced practice management staff to ensure the efficient and effective use of GP time and to support staff in their roles.

The complaints system had improved with complaints now being logged.

We found the provider generally had effective systems in place for monitoring the quality of services. There was an active Patient Participation Group (PPG), complaints, incidents and significant events were reviewed and they participated in the QOF programme. QOF is a system for the performance management of GPs intended to improve the quality of general practice and reward good practice in surgeries. Improvements were needed to ensure the review process for audits, complaints and significant event analyses were fully completed in order to identify trends on which improvements to the service could then be made.

26 February 2014

During an inspection in response to concerns

We found that patients' views on the service varied. Some patients were very pleased with the service provided whilst some were not.

Comments made included:

'It's excellent, they have gone well beyond their duty of care, they have rang me in the evenings to discuss results and treatment and to check on my well-being. They have carried out house visits in the evening when they felt it important to do so',

'They are very good; they explain everything they are doing at each step'.

'The receptionists are very good, I do have concerns regarding the service and the attitude of the GP'.

Staff demonstrated knowledge and understanding in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children. We found that they had received appropriate training.

We found that generally patients care and treatment was assessed, planned and delivered in order to meet their needs. Care and treatment plans were documented and reviewed. However we found there were improvements needed to ensure the timely assessment of patient letters and referrals.

We found that improvements were needed to the systems in place to assess the suitability of staff for their role and to ensure specified information was available in respect of people employed.

We found that the provider did not operate an effective complaints system.

We found the provider generally had effective systems in place for monitoring the quality of services. There was an active Patient Participation Group (PPG), complaints, incidents and significant events were reviewed and they participated in the QOF programme. QOF is a system for the performance management of GPs intended to improve the quality of general practice and reward good practice in surgeries.

Records were appropriate and mostly accurate. The record system was effective and records were mostly stored securely.