Portland Medical Practice

Updated 12 December 2018

Portland Medical Practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a partnership in Walsall, West Midlands. The practice is part of the NHS Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group. 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 operates from Anchor Medical Health Centre, Westfield Drive, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 8AJ.

There are approximately 8,951 patients of various ages registered and cared for at the practice. Demographically the practice has a lower than average patient population aged under 18 years, with 19% falling into this category, compared with the CCG average of 24% and England average of 21%. Twenty-three per cent of the practice population is above 65 years which is considerably higher than the CCG average of 16% and the national average of 17%. Approximately 170 (2% of the practice population) patients live in a care home or supported living scheme. The percentage of patients with a long-standing health condition is 64% which was above the local CCG average of 56% and national average of 54%. The practice provides GP services in an area considered as less deprived within its locality. Deprivation covers a broad range of issues and refers to unmet needs caused by a lack of resources of all kinds, not just financial. The unemployment rate of 2% is considerably lower than the CCG average of 9% and national average of 5%.

The staffing consists of:

• Three GP partners (two male / one female) and three salaried GPs (two male / one female).
• Four female practice nurses and two female health care assistants.
• A pharmacy technician.
• A management team including a strategic business manager, deputy/operations manager, medical secretary, senior administrator, reception manager and reception staff.

The practice is open every day from 8am until 6pm, GP consultations are available from 8.30am to 11.30am and 3pm and 5.30pm. In the out of hours period between 6.30pm and 8.30am on weekdays and all weekends and bank holidays the service is provided through the NHS 111 service.

The practice offers a range of services for example: management of long-term conditions, child development checks and childhood immunisations, contraceptive and sexual health advice, and travel vaccines including yellow fever vaccines. Further details can be found by accessing the practice’s website at www.portlandmedical.co.uk.

The practice also provides a minor surgery service which is commissioned by the clinical commissioning group. This service offers a range of services including vasectomies and carpel tunnel decompression to NHS patients. The surgical procedures were carried out at a different location. This service was not reviewed as part of this inspection.

Updated 12 December 2018

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating February 2016 – 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 Portland Medical Practice on 1 and 5 November 2018.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear 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.
• 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.
• The practice understood the needs of its population and tailored services in response to those needs. There was evidence of a number of projects and services the practice had been involved with to ensure patients’ needs were met.
• The practice was participating in a pilot with MacMillan Cancer Support to develop the role of the Non-Clinical MacMillan Cancer Care Lead, to support newly diagnosed patients.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• The system for on the day appointments had changed to a triage system in which reception staff had been in receipt of appropriate training and guidance.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Carry out a risk assessment for those members of staff where a disclosure and barring service check had not been completed.
• Document a risk assessments for those staff whose immunisation status was not known, until the complete immunisation status for all members of staff has been obtained.
• Develop an asset register for all equipment held at the practice.
• Carry out a risk assessment to determine the choice of medicines for use in a medical emergency.
• Demonstrate the competence of staff employed in advanced roles by audit of their clinical decision making.
• Include information about escalating complaints to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in the complaint response letters.
• Record detailed minutes of meetings including the attendees, any actions, timescales and review dates.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

Updated 12 December 2018

Updated 12 December 2018

Updated 12 December 2018

Updated 12 December 2018

Updated 12 December 2018

Updated 12 December 2018