Archived: Field Road Health Centre - HS Downward

Updated 24 December 2015

Field Road Health Centre - DC Downward is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services. It provides GP services for approximately 3500 patients living in Wirral. The practice is situated in a purpose built health centre. The practice has one male GP and one female GP, a practice manager, practice nurse, administration and reception staff. Field Road Health Centre – DC Downward holds a Primary Medical Services (PMS) contract with NHS England.

The practice opening hours are:

Monday 8.15am - 6.30pm

Tuesday 8.15am – 1.15pm

Wednesday 8.15am - 6.30pm

Thursday 8.15am – 6.30pm (closed between 1pm and 2pm)

Friday 8.15am - 6.30pm

With surgery times:

Morning 9am – 11am and afternoon 3.15pm-5.30pm. Telephone lines open at 8am.

Extended hours access is provided one day per week:

Monday 6.30pm – 8.15pm

The practice does not provide out of hours services. These are covered by the Wirral GP Out of Hours service and are accessible by calling the practice telephone number which will indicate what number to ring for out of hour’s services. It also has the out of hour’s contact number on the website. Patients can book appointments in person, via the telephone or online. The practice provides telephone consultations, pre-bookable consultations, urgent consultations and home visits. The practice treats patients of all ages and provides a range of primary medical services.

The practice is part of Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and is situated in an area of high deprivation. The practice population is made up of a mostly working age population. A higher than average number of the practice population has a long standing health condition (62%) and there is a higher than national average number of unemployed patients.

Updated 24 December 2015

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Field Road Health Centre - DC Downward on 24 November 2015. 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 incidents and significant events.
• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and to report incidents and significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
• Patients were treated with care, compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. They were not rushed at appointments and full explanations of their treatment were given. They valued their practice.

• Feedback from patients about their care was consistently positive.

• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said they had no problems making an appointment and that there was continuity of care, with routine and 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.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and they should ensure:

• That safety alerts and subsequent actions are recorded effectively.

• That locum GPs undergo the same recruitment checks as employed staff or agency staff and information such as references, C.V. and qualifications is held.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 24 December 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions.

• The practice maintained and monitored registers of patients with long term conditions, for example cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure. These registers enabled the practice to monitor and review patients with long term conditions effectively.

• The practice performed at or above average for management of long term conditions, for example the percentage of patients with diabetes whose cholesterol was less than 5mmol/l or less was 84% and above national average, as was the percentage of patients with diabetes who had had a recorded foot examination and risk classification (91%).

• The practice nurses had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients had a named GP and a structured annual review to check that their health and medicines needs were being met. For those people with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 24 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 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 with a number of immunisation uptakes at 100%.

• 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 who had a recorded cervical screening test performed was 80%, and comparable to other practices.

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

• The practice worked well and shared information with midwives, health visitors and school nurses.

• Family planning and sexual health guidance and advice were available at the practice.

Updated 24 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. For example the percentage of patients aged 65 and older who had received a seasonal flu vaccination was comparable to other practices at 69%.

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population. They worked with the multi-disciplinary team in assessing and caring for older patients.

• It was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits, urgent appointments and longer appointments for those with increased needs.

Updated 24 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.

• The practice offered extended hours appointments until 8.15pm on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

• 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.

Updated 24 December 2015

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

• 100% of people diagnosed with dementia had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months. This was significantly higher than the national average.
• 97% of people experiencing poor mental health had a comprehensive documented care plan in place (higher than the national average).

• 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 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.

• It 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 people with mental health needs and dementia.

Updated 24 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 living in vulnerable circumstances including homeless people and those with a learning disability.

• It had carried out annual health checks for people with a learning disability.

• GPs took lead roles in caring for patients who were vulnerable such as learning disabilities.

• It offered longer appointments for people with a learning disability.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.

• It worked with and was able to signpost vulnerable patients and their carers 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.