Background to this inspection
Updated
19 December 2018
Merstow Green Medical Practice is situated in a modern purpose built medical centre in Evesham, Worcestershire. The building is shared with Abbey Medical Practice, Community Services, and attached staff. Merstow Green Medical Practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a partnership provider to deliver the following Regulated Activities: diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, maternity and midwifery services, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury. The surgery holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. The GMS contract is a contract agreed nationally between general practices and NHS England for primary care services to local communities. At the time of our inspection, Merstow Green Medical Practice was providing medical care to 10,315 patients.
The practice provides dispensing services to those patients who live more than one mile away (1.6 kilometres) from their nearest pharmacy (40% of the practice population).
The practice provides additional GP services commissioned by South Worcestershire clinical commissioning group (CCG). For example, minor surgery. A CCG is an organisation that brings together local GPs and experienced health professionals to take on commissioning responsibilities for local health services.
Parking bays for disabled patients are located adjacent to the building. Other patients can use the public car park which is a few minutes’ walk from the practice. All consulting rooms are located on the ground floor, with administrative staff located on the first floor. There are facilities for disabled patients which include automatic entrance doors and a low-rise reception counter.
Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as six, on a scale of one to ten, where ten is the least deprived.
There are four GP partners (two male, two female) and three salaried GPs (one male, two female). At the time of our inspection a locum GP was providing cover for a GP partner who was on maternity leave. The GPs are supported by the practice manager, a clinical pharmacist, a nurse manager, two nurse practitioners, two practice nurses, three health care assistants, a dispensing team and a reception and administrative team.
Please see the evidence table for details of the opening hours and extended hours provision.
When the practice is closed, there is a recorded message giving details of the out of hours service.
Information about the practice is available to download from their website:
www.merstowgreenmedicalpractice.co.uk
Updated
19 December 2018
This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating September 2015 – Good)
The key questions at this inspection are rated as:
Are services safe? – Good
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Good
Are services well-led? - Good
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Merstow Green Medical Practice on 7 November 2018 as part of our inspection programme.
At this inspection we found:
- The practice had systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes in order to prevent a recurrence.
- The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence-based guidelines and best practice.
- We saw that staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- There was a Practice Liaison Manager who acted as the interface between patients and staff.
- The practice continued to organise IT training and support sessions to train patients to use the practice's on-line systems, for example, how to book appointments.
- The most vulnerable patients (for example, those with learning difficulties or those with severe health needs) were given a medical alert card which gave an ex-directory telephone number for the patient (or someone assisting the patient) to contact the practice.
- The nurse manager was the clinical care co-ordinator, whose responsibilities included drawing up clinical care plans for patients who would benefit from a personalised plan.
- The practice took part in local pilot projects, including Active Monitoring for patients with mental health issues.
- The practice achieved maximum points in the Quality and Outcomes Framework for 2017/18.
- Patient feedback on the level of care and treatment delivered by all staff was very positive.
- Although the appointment system had been changed as a result of patient feedback, not all patients found the appointment system easy to use.
- There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
- There were strong links with local organisations which raised awareness of the support services available in the local area.
- A new salaried GP started a urogynaecology service in June 2018.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Strengthen the audit programme to include more second cycle audits and more emphasis on learning from audit findings.
- Continue to monitor and act on the results of patient surveys in order to meet the needs of the patient population.
- Track prescriptions throughout the practice.
- Monitor expiry dates for medicines if the maximum refrigerator temperature exceeds the recommended maximum.
- Check that consulting room doors are locked when not in use for security purposes.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGPChief Inspector of General Practice
Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.