The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Heathfield Family Centre

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

131-133 Heathfield Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands, B19 1HL

Provided and run by:
Heathfield Family Centre

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Heathfield Family Centre on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Heathfield Family Centre, you can give feedback on this service.

5 August 2021

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced inspection at Heathfield Family Centre on 5 August 2021. Overall, the practice is rated as good.

Safe - Good

Effective - Good

Caring - Good

Responsive - Good

Well-led - Good

Following our previous inspection on 12 February 2020, the practice was rated Requires Improvement overall and for all key questions.

The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Heathfield Family Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk .

Why we carried out this inspection

This inspection was a comprehensive follow-up inspection to follow up on:

  • Any breaches of regulations and ‘shoulds’ identified in previous inspection

How we carried out the inspection

Throughout the pandemic CQC has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our inspections differently.

This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.

This included:

  • Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing
  • Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system and discussing findings with the provider
  • Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider
  • Requesting evidence from the provider
  • A short site visit

Our findings

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 except Working age people (including those recently retired and students). This is because, although the practice have acted to try to increase uptake with cervical cancer screening, published data from Public Health England (PHE), did not show improvements in uptake, and the practice was not meeting the minimum PHE target.

We found that:

  • The practice had responded to our concerns during the last inspection and improved their safety and governance processes.
  • In particular, the practice had improved their processes to manage recruitment and ongoing HR checks, patient specific directions and significant events.
  • The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
  • Most 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 monitored patient satisfaction information from various sources and offered staff training when necessary to improve patient satisfaction.
  • The practice adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
  • Patient satisfaction information relating to access showed improvements and data we viewed during the inspection indicated that telephone access had improved.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.
  • The practice was working with their PCN where improvements had been identified for example to improve uptake with childhood immunisations and bowel cancer screening.

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

  • Continue to explore alternatives to increase uptake with children’s immunisations and cervical cancer screening.
  • Continue to monitor patient satisfaction information and take appropriate action to be responsive to patients’ needs.

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

12 February 2020

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Heathfield Family Centre on 12 February 2020 following our annual review of the information available to us.

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 requires improvement overall and requires improvement for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services and for all population groups.

We found that:

  • The practice had implemented systems and processes to keep patients safe, however not all systems were effective or well embedded.
  • Published data for cervical cancer screening and children’s immunisation uptake showed that the practice was not achieving the minimum targets.
  • During the inspection we found that staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect, however published data showed that patient satisfaction was below local and national averages in regards to how well patients felt listened to or how well they felt they had been treated with care and concern. The practice was not yet able to demonstrate that patient satisfaction in these areas had improved despite actions they had taken.
  • The practice had made changes to how they organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. However, the practice could not demonstrate these changes had resulted in improved patient satisfaction.
  • We found that the management team were aware of the challenges they faced and had implemented some actions to try and improve patient experience and quality of services. However, at the time of the inspection, they were not able to demonstrate that actions had been effective.

The areas where the provider must make improvements as they are in breach of regulations are:

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care

(Please see the specific details on action required at the end of this report).

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Improve the arrangements for embedding learning following incidents.
  • Continue to explore alternatives to increase uptake with children’s immunisations and cancer screening.
  • Improve systems to monitor patient satisfaction information and take appropriate action to be responsive to patients’ needs.

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

13 February 2018

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Heathfield Family Centre on 5 January 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good; however the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing responsive services. The full comprehensive report on the January 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Heathfield Family Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced desk-based focused inspection carried out on 13 February 2018. This was to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to make improvements in relation to patient satisfaction and availability of appointments that we identified in our previous inspection on 5 January 2017. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice continues to be rated as good, but continues to be rated as requires improvement for providing responsive services.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • The practice told us they had undergone significant changes since the last inspection, with changes to the management team in September 2017 and increased staffing levels.

  • Since the previous inspection, the practice had analysed the national patient survey results and developed an action plan. To improve patient satisfaction the practice had increased telephone consultations to manage patient demand and at peak times the number of staff was increased to answer telephone calls to reduce patients’ waiting times.

  • The practice had support from the clinical commission group and had a Musculoskeletal (MSK) Practitioner and clinical pharmacist working one day a week at the practice to increase appointment access and offer patients more choice.

  • The management team told us they were currently in the process of changing the telephones with a new system being introduced in April 2018. ,

  • The practice now provided GP appointments outside of normal opening hours through the local commissioning group federation Improved Access Scheme (ICOF). This included appointments outside of the practice opening hours and weekend appointments.

  • The practice had made some adjustments to the appointment system since the last inspection, however results from the national GP patient survey published in July 2017 did not show any improvements to patient satisfaction.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Continue to monitor the effectiveness of action taken to improve access on patient satisfaction and review actions as appropriate.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

5 January 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Heathfield Family Centre on 5 January 2017. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system for reporting and recording significant events. Learning outcomes were shared with staff.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. Health and safety precautions had been taken which included checking that equipment was fully working and safe to use. Infection prevention control measures were in place. The practice was able to respond in the event of a patient’s emergency.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Positive patient feedback was obtained regarding the care and treatment provided by staff.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • National GP survey feedback showed that patients found it difficult to make an appointment with a named GP. The practice told us they were continually reviewing its appointment system to meet increasing patient demand.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a clear leadership structure in place. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

  • The practice had adopted a policy for visiting their patients who were close to the end of their life, every two weeks at their home address, if these patients agreed to the visits.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

  • Continue to improve access to care and monitor the effectiveness of the arrangements.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice