The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Whittaker Lane Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Daisy Bank, Whittaker Lane, Prestwich, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M25 1EX (0161) 773 1580

Provided and run by:
Whittaker Lane Medical Centre

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Whittaker Lane Medical Centre on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Whittaker Lane Medical Centre, you can give feedback on this service.

3 December 2019

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Whittaker Lane Medical Centre on 3 December 2019. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating June 2016 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Whitaker Lane Medical Centre on 26 November 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

  • The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
  • The practice had appropriate systems to safeguard children and vulnerable adults from abuse. All staff received up-to-date safeguarding and safety training appropriate to their role.
  • The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
  • Staff had appropriate knowledge for their role. The practice understood the learning needs of staff and provided protected learning time and training to meet them.
  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • Feedback from patients was positive about the way they were treated and staff understood patients’ personal, cultural, social and religious needs.
  • Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they could access care when they needed it.
  • The practice staff were well informed about local support services and voluntary groups. They actively directed patients to use these services so they could manage their health care issues in a more holistic way.
  • Leaders had the capacity and skills to deliver high-quality, sustainable care.
  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • The practice should keep a summary log of safety alerts for monitoring and following-up on actions taken in response to the alerts.
  • The level of detail recorded about significant events and staff meetings should be consistent so that staff have information about discussions held, actions taken and lessons learned.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice

21 June 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Whittaker Lane Medical Practice

on 21 June 2 2016. 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. Detailed records were kept and there was evidence of learning.
  • 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.
  • A detailed pre-diabetes audit took place and became a service development. The practice was developing the education for this group of patients to try and reduce the incidence of diabetes. Pre-diabetic patient educational workshops had taken place and were planned to continue.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Many patients described the service and care they received as excellent. They said their health care needs were dealt with by GPs who were patient and listened to what they had to say.
  • 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.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

2 January 2014

During a routine inspection

We spoke with three patients during our inspection. They all gave us positive feedback about the practice, the doctors and the other staff. They told us they liked having an 'open surgery' once a week, and it was not difficult to book an appointment at other times. They said they were treated respectfully. Patients' comments included 'The doctors are great, and they explain everything they need to' and 'It's a good practice and it now has extended opening so it's better for working people'.

Patients with long term conditions were monitored and plans were in place to reduce the possibility of some patients being admitted to hospital. Individual patient plans were also in place for patients who frequently attended the hospital Accident and Emergency (A&E) department or the NHS walk-in centre when the practice could have looked after their needs.

All areas of the practice were visibly clean. The cleaner confirmed each day that they had completed their tasks and the practice manager monitored this.

The practice manager carried out checks to make sure all the doctors and nurses were appropriately registered. They were in the process of updating their checks of whether medical professionals had a criminal record. Most staff had worked at the practice for a number of years. There was a recruitment process to follow for when they recruited new staff to ensure all appropriate checks were completed.