Background to this inspection
Updated
27 March 2019
The Dow Surgery is situated in Redditch town centre. The practice has a list size of 12,024 patients.
The practice is a training practice. Fully qualified doctors who want to enter into general practice spend 12 months working at the practice to gain the experience they need to become a GP. At the time of our inspection the practice had two registrars in post.
The practice has six GP partners and four salaried GPs (a mixture of male and female offering patients their preferred choice). The practice has six practice nurses and one lead nurse, a healthcare assistant (HCA) and a phlebotomist (person who takes blood). The clinical team are supported by a practice manager, a deputy practice manager and a team of reception and administrative staff. The practice employed a pharmacist who worked four days per week.
The practice is registered with the CQC to carry out the following regulated activities: diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, maternity and midwifery services, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.
The area was rated five out of ten for levels of deprivation with ten being the least deprived and one being the most deprived.
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 does not provide out of hours services. Patients are advised to contact 111 for urgent GP access outside of normal GP working hours. When patients dial 111 they get advice from the Out of Hours service which is commissioned by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
Updated
27 March 2019
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Dow Surgery on 6 March 2019 as part of our inspection programme. The practice was previously inspected in 2016 and rated good.
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 each of the population groups.
•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 practice had a focus on learning and improvement.
•The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.
The provider should:
•Review their carers register and improve process for identification of carers.
•Ensure that all complaints are logged and trends identified.
•Review processes in place for engaging with patients and consider reinstatement of the PPG to ensure patient views and feedback are considered.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP
Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care