Archived: Dr Prasanta Bhowmik

Updated 26 September 2016

Dr Prasanta Bhowmik (also known as West Ham Medical Centre) is a GP practice in the West Ham area of the London Borough of Newham, to the east of London. The practice is situated on the corner of a purpose built, council owned building which is attached to residential homes. The area is well served by local bus routes and is a short distance from a train station. Limited parking is available opposite the practice and on surrounding streets. The practice provides NHS primary care services through a Personal Medical Services contract to approximately 2242 patients.

Newham is the third most deprived local authority area in England. The area has a higher percentage than national average of people whose working status is unemployed (13% compared to 5% nationally) and a lower percentage of people over 65 years of age (7% compared to 17% nationally). The white British ethnic group is the largest ethnic group in the borough accounting for 17% of the population. Indian is the largest ethnic minority group in Newham accounting for 14% followed by African at 12%. Female life expectancy in Newham is 81 years, one and a half years less than the England average of 83. Male life expectancy in Newham is 76 years, nearly two and a half years less than the England average of 79 years.

The general practice profile shows a higher than average number of patients aged between 20 and 39 years old and a lower than average number aged between 70 to 85 years and above.

The practice is staffed by a lead GP (male, four sessions), a salaried GP (male, five sessions) and a practice nurse (female). Non-clinical roles are fulfilled by a practice manager and six receptionist/admin staff.

The practice opening hours are 9am to 6.30pm every day except Thursday when it closes at 4pm and weekends when it is closed. GP consultation times are 10am to 12pm and then 4pm to 6.30pm on Monday and Tuesday, 10am to 12pm and 4pm to 6pm on Wednesday and Friday and 10am to 12pm on Thursday. There are no afternoon appointments on Thursday as the practice was closed. Nurse consultation times are 9am to 2pm and 4.15pm to 6.15pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

When the practice is closed patients are directed to the local GP hub which provided an extended hours service every weekday day between 6.30pm and 9pm and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. Patients could also attend Newham University Hospital walk-in centre and contact the NHS 111 service.

The practice had not been previously inspected.

Dr Prasanta Bhowmik is registered with the CQC to provide the regulated activities of Maternity and midwifery services; Treatment of disease, disorder or injury and Diagnostic and screening procedures.

Updated 26 September 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Prasanta Bhowmik on 8 August 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

• 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 been trained to provide them with 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Review the provision of interpreting services for emergency appointments to enable and support patients to understand the care or treatment choices available to them.

• Ensure patients are notified about the availability of interpreters for pre-booked appointments.

• Record and review patients’ verbal comments/complaints about the service to support the process of quality improvement.

• Ensure safeguarding training for the remaining non-clinical staff is completed.

• Continue to review and increase the number of patients identified as carers.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 26 September 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions.

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.

• Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) performance in 2014/15 for diabetes related indicators was 99%, which was above the CCG average of 87% and the national average of 89%.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients had a named GP and a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met. For those patients with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

• Diabetic multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings took place every two months.

Updated 26 September 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people.

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances. Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.

• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals, and we saw evidence to confirm this.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 86% which was in line with the CCG average of 81% and the national average of 82%.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

• Babies were prioritised for emergency appointments.

• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses.

• Baby changing facilities were available in the patients’ toilet.

• Young people were referred to the local sexual health clinic were appropriate.

Updated 26 September 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.

• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• Patients were proactively identified for the palliative care register and were reviewed at quarterly palliative care meetings.

• Older patients were prioritised for emergency appointments.

Updated 26 September 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students).

• The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care.

• The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.

• Working patients who could not attend during normal opening hours were able to book late afternoon and weekend appointments with the local GP hub.

Updated 26 September 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

• 100% of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses whose alcohol consumption has been recorded in the preceding 12 months (01/04/2014 to 31/03/2015), which is comparable to the CCG and national averages of 92% and 90% respectively.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.

• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia.

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• The practice had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.

• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

• The community mental health liaison nurse held regular clinics at the practice.

Updated 26 September 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including homeless people, travellers and those with a learning disability.

• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.

• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.

• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in normal working hours and out of hours.