Wellsbourne Health Centre

Updated 11 June 2019

Wellsbourne Health Centre is located at 179 Whitehawk Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 5FL. The surgery is located in a shared purpose-built health centre. Services are provided on the ground and first floor with lift access. The surgery has limited transport links although there is a pharmacy located in the same building.

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, family planning and surgical procedures.

Wellsbourne Health Centre is situated within the Brighton and Hove City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and provides services to approximately 5,600 patients under the terms of an alternative primary medical services (APMS) contract. The service is a community interest company that was set up by doctors and nurses working in Whitehawk in partnership with a local community NHS foundation trust. The service was established to provide additional NHS services to patients living in a deprived area of Brighton and Hove.

The provider is made up of four executive directors, all clinicians working in the practice; three GPs and one advanced nurse practitioner (all female). In addition, the directors were supported by four salaried GPs (male and female), two practice nurses a healthcare assistant and assistant practitioner (female). There was a health engagement worker and link worker, two pharmacists, a pharmacy technician and pharmacy clerk. There was a business manager and practice manager and a range of reception and administration staff. The practice is part of a wider network of GP practices, working closely with the CCG in a cluster of local practices.

There are higher than average number of patients under the age of 18 and a higher than average number of working age patients. However, there is also higher than average unemployment within the patient population group. Information published by Public Health England, rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as one, on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest. There are a greater proportion of patients living with a limiting long-term illness and life expectancy is identified as being lower than local and national averages. Information provided by the practice showed that male life expectancy is 10 years younger when compared to the national average of 79 years and female life expectancy is six years younger.

Updated 11 June 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Wellsbourne 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:

• There were systems within the practice to assess, manage and mitigate risks.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs. There was evidence of good patient outcomes.
• Staff training was monitored, and training completion rates were high.
• 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. Patients were positive about their access to the service and the practice worked with other local services to remove or manage any barriers to access.
• There was a strong emphasis on social inclusion with the practice active within the local community in engaging with and supporting patients to improve health outcomes. Health engagement workers were in post and social prescribing was prioritised.
• There was positive patient feedback with references to being treated with kindness and compassion.
• The way the practice was led and managed to promote the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.
• There was an emphasis on the wellbeing and support of staff.
• There were comprehensive recruitment systems in place, however, human resources information was not always kept in personnel files.

In addition, the provider should:

• Review how human resources information is maintained within the practice.

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

Updated 11 June 2019

Updated 11 June 2019

Updated 11 June 2019

Updated 11 June 2019

Updated 11 June 2019

Updated 11 June 2019