• Doctor
  • GP practice

Bloxwich Medical Practice

Field Rd, Bloxwich, Walsall, WS3 3JP (01922) 775138

Provided and run by:
Bloxiwch Medical Practice

Important: The provider of this service changed - see old profile

Inspection summaries and ratings from previous provider

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Background to this inspection

Updated 3 May 2019

Dr Thomas Brand (known as Bloxwich Medical Practice) is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a single handed provider operating a GP practice in Walsall, West Midlands. The practice is part of the NHS Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, maternity and midwifery services and treatment of disease disorder or injury.

The practice holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. A GMS contract is a contract between NHS England and general practices for delivering general medical services and is the commonest form of GP contract.

The practice operates from Pinfold Health Centre, 29 The Pinfold, Walsall, WS3 3JP.

There are approximately 4,888 patients of various ages registered and cared for at the practice. The practice provides GP services in an area considered to be almost the most deprived within its locality. Demographically the practice has a lower than average patient population aged under 18 years, with 19% falling into this category, compared with the CCG average of 24% and England average of 21%. Twenty-two per cent of the practice population is above 65 years which is considerably higher than the CCG average of 16% and the national average of 17%. The percentage of patients with a long-standing health condition is 45% which is below the local CCG average of 52% and the national average of 51%. The practice life expectancy for patients is 77 years for males and 82 years for females which is below the national average.

The practice has a full time male principle GP, a full time male salaried GP, a full time female advanced nurse practitioner and two part time female practice nurses, a part time female health care assistant, a practice manager and a team of administrative / reception staff.

The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm every day except Friday, when the practice closes at 1pm. When the practice is closed patients are directed toward the out of hours provider via the NHS 111 service. Patients also have access to the Extended GP Access Service between 6.30pm and 9pm on weekdays, 10am to 3pm on weekends, and 11am to 1.30pm on bank holidays.

The practice offers a range of services, for example: management of long-term conditions, child development checks and childhood immunisations. Additional information about the practice is available on their website at bloxwichmedicalpratice.co.uk

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 3 May 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Bloxwich Health Centre on 4 April 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

  • what we found when we inspected
  • information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
  • information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

  • The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
  • Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
  • Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
  • The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
  • The practice had reviewed their skill mix following the change in registration and employed a nurse practitioner to compliment the clinical staff team.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.
  • The practice was actively increasing the number of patients the palliative care register by including non-cancer patients.
  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation. For example: the practice had become an IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) trained practice, development of Cancer Champions and ongoing clinical audits.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

  • Update the safeguarding policy to include modern slavery, human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
  • Complete written risk assessments for those staff whose immunisation status could not be obtained.
  • Record the serial numbers of prescriptions on receipt to ensure consistency of tracking throughout the practice.
  • Further develop the risk assessments to include a COSHH risk assessment and log of products and assessments for specific risks.
  • Document the clinical supervision discussions between staff.
  • Document a business and succession plan.

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

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care