The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Salford Health Matters Community Interest Company Also known as Willow Tree Site

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

94 Littleton Road, Salford, Lancashire, M7 3SE (0161) 212 5815

Provided and run by:
Salford Health Matters Community Interest Company

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

All Inspections

13 November 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Salford Health Matters Willow Tree on 13 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • Urgent appointments were available on the same day.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.

We saw some areas of outstanding practice:

  • The practice had a vascular long term conditions management process system.  This allows the practice to provide a holistic review for patients with multiple vascular conditions.

  • The practice is a participator in the ‘safehaven’ scheme which is for patients that have been previously removed from primary care due to an incident of violence. The scheme is designed to help rehabilitate patients back into primary care.

  • The practice takes the care of people with dementia seriously. All staff are 'dementia friends', so know more about how they can help people with the condition.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Action needs to be taken to clear the back log of summarising medical records of new patients to the practice.

  • Ensure all computers are locked when unattended to guarantee security of patient information of the computer system 

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

27 August 2013

During a routine inspection

Salford Health Matters is a Community Interest Company founded in 2007 to provide primary care services with a registered population of 14,500 people in Salford. The company operates from four sites across Salford which included The Willow Tree Centre.

One patient who used the service told us; 'The GP's are very good at explaining things. They always fully explain to me so I know exactly what is wrong and why and what medication I will need.'

The practice at Willow Tree had electronic records in place to accurately record the contact patients had with the service. We looked at four electronic records of patients' which were detailed and comprehensive.

Staff we spoke with were able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of safeguarding concerns and what action to take if they had any concerns.

Staff training records confirmed that staff had received training in infection control.

One patient told us; 'I know all the staff, they always make you feel very welcome. I have absolutely no concerns about the practice at all. It is clean, tidy and everyone is very friendly'.

We looked at six staff personnel files and saw evidence in each file of robust checks being undertaken prior to the commencement of employment.

We found the practice had comprehensive systems in place to monitor the quality of the service they provided. We were shown policies and procedures that were available to staff to support them in the safe running of the service.