Archived: Wallington Medical Centre

Updated 1 March 2019

Wallington Medical Centre is a well-established GP practice located within the London Borough of Sutton and is part of the NHS Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which is made up of 27 GP practices. The practice provides primary medical services to approximately 2,400 patients.

The age range of patients is predominately 15 – 49 years and the number of five – 24 year olds is greater than the England average. The practice population deprivation score is higher than the England average and there is a high incidence of unemployment.

The practice holds a Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract. (PMS is one of the three contracting routes that have been available to enable commissioning of primary medical services).

The practice team comprises of one male senior GP partner, one male GP partner and one female salaried GP. There are two part-time female practice nurses who is supported by a part-time healthcare assistant. One of the partners is the practice manager. They are supported by an office supervisor and three receptionists. The practice is an accredited GP training practice.

The practice opening hours are 8am to 7.30pm Monday, 8am to 6.45pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 8am to 6.30pm.

The practice has opted out of providing out of hours services and have arranged with an alternative provider to provide cover when the practice is closed. The details of the out-of-hours service provider are communicated on the practice website and a recorded telephone message directs patients to contact 111 NHS advice line when the practice is closed.

Updated 1 March 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Wallington Medical Centre on 18 December 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At the last inspection in November 2017 we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing safe services and for providing effective services because:

• Safety systems and processes had deteriorated since the last inspection in January 2015. Some risk assessments were not being used effectively to manage risk, and there were gaps in staff training.
• There were some areas (such as cervical screening, NHS health checks, and care of patients with some long-term conditions, as measured by QOF) where the practice performance was below average.

At this inspection, we found that the provider had satisfactorily addressed these areas.

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found when we inspected
• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
• information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Continue to implement and monitor action plans to reduce exception reporting and prescribing of hypnotics, and increase take up of screening and childhood immunisations.
• Continue to review policies to ensure they are in line with latest guidance.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 1 March 2019

Updated 1 March 2019

Updated 1 March 2019

Updated 1 March 2019

Updated 1 March 2019

Updated 1 March 2019