Archived: Heath Hayes Health Centre Also known as Dr Y K Gupta & Dr H N Choudhary Partnership

Updated 10 December 2015

Heath Hayes Health Centre is situated in Heath Hayes, Cannock, Staffordshire. It is part of the NHS Cannock Chase Clinical Commissioning Group. We found that the provider was incorrectly registered with CQC as they were registered as a partnership although were now operating as a single handed GP. We also found that the provider had registered two separate locations when they operate as a main location with a branch practice with the same patient list and governance arrangements managed from Heath Hayes Health Centre. The provider intended to cancel their registration with CQC as a partnership and re-register as an individual with one location only. The opening hours of both practices are similar and patients are able to make appointments at either surgery to see a GP or a member of the nursing team.

A team of five GPs and a registrar, a nurse practitioner and practice nurse provide care and treatment for approximately 10,330 patients across both sites. There is also a practice manager, a data quality manager, senior receptionist and a team of reception and administrative staff. The practice is open from 8am until 6.30pm Monday to Friday, although appointments are not available at Heath Hayes Health Centre on Thursday afternoons. Appointment times are staggered between 8.30am and 12.30pm, and 2.30pm and 6pm. Nurse appointments were available between 8.10am and 1pm, and 2pm and 6pm. The practice offers extended hours at the sister practice (Chase Medical Practice) on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings, as well as covering Thursday afternoons. Patients requiring a GP outside of normal working hours are advised to call the Primary Care Out of Hours Team on 0300 1 303030. The practice has a PMS (Personal Medical Services) contract and also offers enhanced services for example: various immunisation schemes and avoiding unplanned admissions.

Updated 10 December 2015

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Health Hayes Health Centre on 20 October 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Please note that when referring to information throughout this report, for example any reference to the Quality and Outcomes Framework data, this relates to the most recent information available to the CQC at that time.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Staff knew how to and understood the need to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and acted upon.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of patient group directions for immunisations and vaccinations.
• Best practice guidance was used to assess patients’ needs and plan and deliver their care. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Patient information, including how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients told us they could usually get an appointment when they needed one, with urgent appointments available the same day. Patients could also access urgent appointments via the Cannock Network Project.
• The practice was located in a purpose build health centre with good facilities and suitable equipment to treat and meet patients’ needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Record the review significant events over time to identify any themes or trends.
• Introduce a system to review Patient Group Directions (PGDs) to ensure they are signed by both the GP and nursing staff.
• Record fire drills in the fire log book.
• Assure themselves that the routine legionella checks are being carried out by the landlord.
• Introduce a system to record verbal/informal complaints.
• Develop an action plan to address the issues identified in the national GP survey.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 10 December 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions. We found that the nursing staff had the knowledge, skills and competency to respond to the needs of patients with a long term condition such as diabetes and asthma. All of these patients were offered a review to check that their health and medication needs were being met. For those people with the most complex needs, the GPs worked with relevant health and social care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 10 December 2015

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 who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had protection plans in place. The practice offered same day appointments for children. There were screening and vaccination programmes in place and the immunisation rates were comparable to the local Clinical Commissioning Group average. The practice sent ‘Congratulation’ cards to parents on the birth of their baby. A family planning service was available, as well as screening kits for chlamydia.

Updated 10 December 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people. Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients were good for conditions commonly found in older people. The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population and had a range of enhanced services, for example, in end of life care and avoidance of unplanned admissions. It was responsive to the needs of older people and offered home visits as required. The practice identified if patients were also carers and offered opportunistic health checks and advice.

Updated 10 December 2015

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. A range of on-line services were available, including medication requests, booking appointments and access to health medical records. The practice did not offer extended opening hours but could book patients into the Cannock Network Project for appointments outside of normal opening hours. The practice offered all patients aged 40 to 75 years old a health check with the practice nurse. The practice offered a full range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs for this age group.

Updated 10 December 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). Patients experiencing poor mental health were offered an annual physical health check. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia. It carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia. The practice also supported care home staff with capacity assessments and deprivation of liberty safeguards.

Updated 10 December 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. The practice held a register of patients with a learning disability and developed individual care plans for patients. The practice carried out annual health checks and offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people. 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. Patients with addictions were offered continuity of care through appointments with the same GP.