Leek Health Centre

Updated 16 August 2016

Dr Sissons and Partners is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a partnership provider in Leek, North Staffordshire. The practice holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. A GMS contract is a contract between NHS England and general practices for delivering general medical services and is the commonest form of GP contract.

The practice area is one of low deprivation when compared with the national and local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area. At the time of our inspection the practice had 8156 patients, with 23% of patients 65 years and over (national average 17%) and 11% of patients aged 75 years and over (national average 8%). The percentage of patients with a long-standing health condition is 59.9% which is higher than the national average of 54%. This could mean increased demand for GP services. The practice is a training practice for GP registrars and medical students to gain experience, knowledge and higher qualifications in general practice and family medicine.

The practice staffing comprises:

• Four GP partners (two female and two male)

• A male salaried GP

• Two GP Registrars

• An advanced nurse practitioner

• A practice based community matron

• Two female practice nurses

• Two health care assistants

• A business partner practice manager

• Three support managers

• Nine members of administrative staff working a range of hours.

The practice is open from 8am – 6.30 pm Monday and Thursday, 7.30am – 6.30pm Tuesday and Friday and 7.30am – 7.45pm on Wednesday. Appointments can be booked up to two weeks in advance. GP appointments are from 8.30am to 11.45 am every morning and 2.50pm to 5.20pm daily. GP extended surgery hours are offered every Wednesday between 6pm – 7.45pm. The nursing team offer additional extended hours between 7.30am – 8am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The practice has opted out of providing cover to patients in the out-of-hours period. During this time services are provided by Staffordshire Doctors Urgent Care. Patients are directed to this service by a message on the telephone answering machine and information on the practice’s website.

Updated 16 August 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Sissons and Partners on 26 July 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.
• 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 and urgent appointments were 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 the 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 practice was able to demonstrate innovative ways of continuous improvement and were early adopters of Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) initiatives.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 16 August 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.

• Where outcomes for patients with long term conditions were below the local and nationally averages, the practice had been effective in making changes to improve the outcomes for patients with diabetes, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients had 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.

• Data showed that the practice had been effective in managing the number of emergency hospital admissions for patients with long term conditions such as COPD and asthma.

Updated 16 August 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 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.

• 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 16 August 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 carried out weekly ward rounds at a nearby care home. Relatives found this useful as they knew when they could speak directly with a GP if they had any worries or concerns regarding their relative.

• All patients over the age of 75 years had a named GP.

Updated 16 August 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 reflected the needs for this age group.

• The practice offered extended practice hours every Wednesday between 6pm – 7.45pm for working age people. The nursing team offered additional extended hours between 7.30am – 8am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Updated 16 August 2016

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

• Eighty three per cent of patients diagnosed with dementia had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which was comparable to the national and CCG average of 84%.

• The percentage of patients with a recognised mental health condition who had a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in their record, in the preceding 12 months was 89% which was comparable with the CCG average of 87% and the national average of 88%.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those 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 16 August 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 the frail elderly 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.