Archived: Longsight Medical Practice

Updated 16 January 2017

Longsight Medical Practice (Longsight Health Centre, Manchester, M13 0RR) is based in the Longsight area of Manchester. It is part of the NHS Central Manchester Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and provides services to approximately 4845 patients under a General Medical Services contract, with NHS England.

The average life expectancy of the practice population is comparable with the local average and slightly below the national average (80 years for females, compared to the local average of 79 and national average of 83 years, 73 years for males, compared to the local average of 74 and national average of 79 years).

The age distribution of the practice’s patient population is broadly in line with local averages. The practice caters for a lower percentage of patients who experience a long standing health condition (46%, compared to the local average of 54% and national average of 54%). The practice percentage (62%) of its population with a working status of being in paid work or in full-time education is below the CCG average (66%) but similar to the England average (62%). The practice has a higher percentage (19%) of its population with an unemployed status than the England average of (5%) and the local CCG Value (8%).

Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as one on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest.

The practice is staffed by six GPs, three practice nurses, one healthcare assistant, a practice manager and an assistant practice manager as well as a team of administration and reception staff.

The practice is open from 8.30am to 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and open from 8.30am to 8pm on Tuesdays. There is an emergency service between 8am and 8:30am. The practice is also a part of a federation of GP practices who provide extended hours cover for a number of practices in the area between 6pm and 8pm, Monday to Friday, as well as on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Patients are also able to attend appointments at a small number of local health centres as part of this arrangement. Out of hours cover is provided by the NHS 111 service and Go to Doc.

Updated 16 January 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Longsight Medical Practice on 17 November 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 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.
• 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.
• Evidence was available that demonstrated the practice complied with the Duty of Candour.

There were areas of practice where the provider should make improvements:

• Review the nursing hours within the practice.
• Provide clinical meetings for the nursing staff.
• Review and update the systems to record prescription numbers and monitor their use.
• Continue to identify and support patients who are also carers

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 16 January 2017

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.
• Data from 2015/2016 showed that performance for all five diabetes related indicators was below the national average.
• 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 medication 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.

Updated 16 January 2017

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.
• 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 percentage of women aged 25-64 whose notes record that a cervical screening test had been performed in the preceding 5 years (01/04/2015 to 31/03/2016) was 77%, which was in-line with the national average of 81%. The practice had produced a policy to offer telephone reminders for patients who did not attend for their cervical screening test.
• Childhood immunisation rates for the vaccinations given were comparable to CCG and national averages. For example, childhood immunisation rates for the vaccinations given to under two year olds ranged from 67% to 96% and five year olds from 65% to 99%.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

Updated 16 January 2017

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.
• All elderly patients had been informed of their named GP.
• The practice offered same day appointments as well as telephone and face to face consultations.

Updated 16 January 2017

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.
• Telephone appointments were available if patients wished to discuss test results and urgent concerns and for those who may have difficulty attending surgery due to work commitments.

Updated 16 January 2017

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

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.
• The practice carried out advanced 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 percentage of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who had a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in the record in the preceding 12 months was 92% compared to the national average of 88%.
• The percentage of patients diagnosed with dementia whose care had been reviewed face to face in the preceding 12 months was 80% compared to the national average of 84%.

Updated 16 January 2017

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 multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.
• 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 had attended training in how to recognise domestic abuse.
• 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.