Alpine House Surgery

Updated 27 February 2017

Alpine House Surgery is a GP practice, which provides primary medical services to approximately 9,300 patients predominately living in areas of Mountsorrel, Rothley, Quorn, Cropston, Thurcaston and Swithland. All patient facilities are accessible. West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (WLCCG) commission the practice’s services.

The practice has three GP partners (two male and one female) and three salaried GPs (one female and two male). The nursing team consists of a nurse practitioner, practice nurse and two health care assistants. They are supported by a Practice Manager and a team of administrative and reception staff.

The practice is open between 8.15am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday, however telephone lines are open from 8am. GP appointments are available from 8.30am to 11am and 3.40pm to 5.50pm. Nurse appointments are available from 8.30am to midday and 2pm to 5.30pm. Extended hours appointments are offered on Mondays and Fridays between 7.30am and 8am to see either a GP or the advanced nurse practitioner. In addition to pre-bookable appointments that can be booked up to six weeks in advance, urgent appointments are also available for people that need them.

Patients can also access out of hours support from the national advice service NHS 111. The practice also provides details for the nearest walk-in centre, as well as accident and emergency departments.

Updated 27 February 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Alpine House Surgery on 23 August 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good, however the practice was rated as requires improvement for the safety domain. The full comprehensive report on the August 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Alpine House Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was a desk-based review carried out on 09 February 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 23 August 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

.

Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Clinical waste bins were stored securely and safely in a designated secured area.

• All uncollected prescriptions were reviewed every two weeks by a GP and the relevant action was updated on the patient record.

• The practice manager had introduced a system to review and monitor professional registration with the relevant bodies, including the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and General Medical Council (GMC).

• Regular fire drills, including unannounced fire drills were scheduled on an ongoing basis.

• Staff were encouraged to complete mandatory training and staff were able to access e-learning modules outside of normal working hours.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 19 October 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.

• 82% of those diagnosed with diabetes had a blood test to assess diabetes control (looking at how blood sugar levels have been averaging over recent weeks) compared to the national average of 78%.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients had a named GP and were offered 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.

• Patients with multiple long-term conditions who were aged 18 and over, as well as those at risk of hospital admission had weekend access to GPs and emergency care practitioners.

Updated 19 October 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.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 85%, which was higher than the CCG average of 78% and the national average of 74%.

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

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

Updated 19 October 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.

• The practice had access to the Acute Visiting Service (AVS) team and made referrals for home visits, if needed.

• There was a named GP for each care home the practice supported.

Updated 19 October 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 offered online facilities to allow patients to book appointments and request repeat prescriptions.

• A full range of health promotion and screening was offered that reflected the needs for this age group.

• Extended early morning appointments were available for those that could not attend during normal working hours.

Updated 19 October 2016

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

• 100% of those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder or other had a comprehensive and agreed care plan in place, compared to the national average of 88%.

• 81% of patients with a diagnosis of dementia had their care reviewed in a face-to-face review, compared to the national average of 84%.

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

Updated 19 October 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 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 and were aware of their responsibilities.

• Monthly meetings were held to discuss patients identified as high risk to ensure personalised care plans were up to date.