Archived: Holly Medical Group

Updated 19 October 2016

Holly Medical Group is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services. The practice provides services to around 8,900 patients from one location: 17 Osborne Road, Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE2 2AH. The practice area covers Jesmond, Gosforth, South Gosforth, Heaton and Sandyford.

Holly Medical Group is based in converted premises in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne. There is on-site parking, disabled parking, a disabled WC and access is step-free.

The practice has three GP partners and four salaried GPs (one male, six female). The practice employs a practice manager, a deputy practice manager, two nurses, three healthcare assistants and seven staff who undertake administrative or reception duties. The practice provides services based on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract agreement for general practice.

Holly Medical Group is open at the following times:

• Monday 8:15am to 6pm.
• Tuesday 8:15am to 6pm.
• Wednesday 8:15am to 12pm then 1:15pm to 6pm.
• Thursday 8:15am to 6pm.
• Friday 8:15am to 6pm.

The telephones are answered by the practice during their opening hours.

Appointments are available at Holly Medical Group at the following times:

• Monday 8:20am to 12:20pm then 1:30pm to 5:30pm.
• Tuesday 8:20am to 11:30am then 1pm to 5:10pm.
• Wednesday 8:20am to 11:40am then 1:30pm to 5:20pm.
• Thursday 8:20am to 11:40am then 1:30pm to 5:20pm
• Friday 8:30am to 11:50am then 2:20pm to 5:20pm
• Extended hours appointments are available from 6:30pm to 8pm on Monday evening. Appointments are available with a GP or a nurse.

The practice is part of NHS Newcastle Gateshead clinical commission group (CCG). Information from Public Health England placed the area in which the practice is located in band ten for deprivation where one is the highest deprived area and ten in the least deprived. In general, people living in less deprived areas tend to have less need for health services. Average male life expectancy at the practice is 80 years, compared to the national average of 79 years. Average female life expectancy at the practice is 83 years, compared to the national average of 83 years.

The proportion of patients with a long-standing health condition is below average (49% compared to the CCG average of 57% and the national average of 54%). The proportion of patients who are in paid work or full-time employment is above average (65% compared to the CCG average of 61% and the national average of 62%). The proportion of patients who are unemployed is below average (2% compared to the CCG average of 7% and national average of 5%).

The service for patients requiring urgent medical care out of hours is provided by the NHS 111 service and Vocare, which is locally known as Northern Doctors Urgent Care Limited.

Updated 19 October 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Holly Medical Group on 24 February 2015.

Overall, we rated the practice as good. We found the practice to be good for providing, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services and requires improvement for providing safe services. Our key findings were as follows:

• The services had been designed to meet the needs of the local population.
• Feedback from patients was positive; they told us staff treated them with respect and kindness.
• Staff reported feeling supported and able to voice any concerns or make suggestions for improvement.
• The practice was visibly clean and tidy.
• The practice learned from incidents and took action to prevent any recurrence.

There was an area where the provider must make improvements :

• Ensure that all clinical staff that are in contact with patients have undergone checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The provider should:

• Ensure that they comply with the requirements of the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 when addressing any complaints received.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 11 June 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions.

The practice had systems to ensure care was tailored to patients’ individual needs and circumstances. We spoke with GPs and nurses who told us regular patient care reviews, for example for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD - severe shortness of breath caused by chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both) or asthmatic conditions, took place. The QOF data showed that 93.3% of these patients had a review in the preceding 12 months which was 3.7% above the national average. QOF is a voluntary incentive scheme for GP practices in the UK. The scheme financially rewards practices for managing some of the most common long-term conditions and implementing preventative measures. The results are published annually. The practice ensured timely follow-up of patients with long-term conditions by adding them to the practice registers. Patients were then recalled as appropriate, in line with agreed recall intervals.

Care plans were in place for patients most at risk of deteriorating health to assist with continuity of care.

Longer appointments were offered to these patients when required.

Updated 11 June 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people.

Systems were in place for identifying and following-up children who were considered to be at-risk of harm or neglect.

Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies. Arrangements had been made for new babies to receive the immunisations they needed. The practice had a system to recall patients who had failed to attend their immunisation appointments.

There were weekly antenatal and postnatal clinics and baby clinics.

Updated 11 June 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.

Nationally reported data showed the practice had good outcomes for conditions commonly found amongst older people. The practice offered personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.

All patients over the age of 75 years had a named GP. The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, including offering home visits. They worked closely with the district nursing team based at the practice to offer coordinated care to patients.

Updated 11 June 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of working age people (including those recently retired and students).

The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care. For example, the practice offered appointments between 6.30pm and 8.00pm on Mondays. Patients could also pre-book an appointment with a GP or nurse up to eight weeks in advance.

The practice offered a range of services to their patients. In particular they attended the local universities to promote the following services to students, travel immunisations, screening for sexually transmitted infections and a full contraception service.

Updated 11 June 2015

The practice is rated as good for the population group of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

Patients experiencing poor mental health had received an annual physical health check. The practice worked closely with multidisciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health. For patients with dementia their care had been reviewed in a face-to-face appointment in the preceding 12 months.

The practice worked with patients experiencing poor mental health and provided personalised support. For example, with the patients consent the practice referred them to psychological services and the community mental health team when necessary.

Updated 11 June 2015

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

Systems were in place to identify patients, families and children who were at risk or vulnerable. These patients were offered regular reviews. The practice worked in collaboration with other agencies, for example, health visitors and district nurses, to ensure vulnerable families and children and other patients were safe. Multidisciplinary meetings were also held regularly to monitor the care provided.

Clinical staff liaised other agencies such as housing, drug and alcohol service to provide personalised support and care for these patients.

The practice sign-posted vulnerable patients to various support groups and other relevant organisations.

Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children and were aware of their responsibilities to ensure they were safeguarded.