The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Archived: Dr Christine Whittaker Also known as Hollyoaks Medical Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

229 Station Road, Wythall, Birmingham, West Midlands, B47 6ET (01564) 823182

Provided and run by:
Dr Christine Whittaker

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

05/11/2014

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of Dr Christine Whittaker (also known as Hollyoaks Medical Centre) on 5 November 2014. The inspection team was led by a CQC inspector and included a GP specialist advisor, a practice manager and an Expert by Experience. We found Dr Christine Whittaker provided a good service to patients in four of the five key areas we looked at. Improvements were needed to ensure the practice provides well led services to its patients. This applied to patients across all age ranges and to patients with varied needs due to their health or social circumstances.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice had some systems for monitoring and maintaining the safety of the practice and the care and treatment they provide to their patients. These needed development.
  • The practice was proactive in helping people with long term conditions to manage their health and had arrangements in place to make sure their health was monitored regularly.
  • The practice was clean and hygienic and had some arrangements for reducing the risks from healthcare associated infections.
  • Patients felt that they were treated with dignity and respect. They felt that their GP listened to them and treated them as individuals.
  • The practice had a well-established and well trained team and had expertise and experience in a wide range of health conditions.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements

Importantly the provider should:

  • Develop a formal plan for the completion of clinical audit cycles. We saw examples of completed cycles and some that were shortly due to be completed, however, no organised plan of when these should be undertaken.
  • Clarify its future succession planning to include how the practice will be managed when the current GP retires.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

28 May 2013

During a routine inspection

During our announced inspection we spoke with five patients, the registered provider (the lead GP), the practice manager, a practice nurse and a receptionist.

Patients' needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual wishes. Patients told us how they were treated with care and respect. One patient told us: 'I've never had any problems and I am satisfied with the treatment I receive here". Another patient said: 'Got no problems here at all'. Patients we spoke with told us that obtaining repeat prescriptions was not a problem and requests for them were actioned within two days. We found that referral of patients to hospitals had been made promptly and efficiently.

Staff had received training in safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. They were aware of the appropriate agencies to refer safeguarding concerns to ensure that patients were protected from risks of harm.

We found that the premises were appropriate for its intended function and specialist equipment had been checked by a company to ensure that it was fit for purpose. All areas of the practice were seen to be hygienic and well organised.

The registered provider had systems in place for monitoring the quality of service provision. They told us they intended to expand this process to obtain individual patients' opinions about the service they received.