Archived: Dodworth Practice

Updated 1 February 2017

Dodworth Practice is situated within a purpose built surgery on the outskirts of Barnsley in the village of Dodworth. The building has a car park and disabled access. The practice provides care for 6,167 patients in the NHS Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area. The practice catchment area has been identified as one of the sixth least deprived areas in England.

There are seven GPs, five male and two female. There is one female practice nurses, a health care assistant and a phlebotomist. Thes y e are supported by a practice manager and a team of administration and reception staff.

The practice is open between 8.30am and 6.00pm daily. Appointments with GPs and nurses are available between 8.30am and 11.30am and 2.00pm and 6.00pm. Longer appointments are available for those who need them and home visits and telephone consultations are available as required.

Out of hours services are accessed by calling the practice telephone number or NHS 111.

Updated 1 February 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dodworth Practice on 21 March 2016. 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 in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients told us that they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients told they found it difficult to make an appointment, especially with a named GP but there were urgent appointments available the same day when required.
• The practice had good facilities and was equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. 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.
• The practice had a basic business continuity plan in place for major incidents such as power failure or building damage, including emergency contact numbers for staff and utilities. The practice manager told us on the day of the inspection that she was going to review this to include more detail.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Review the business continuity plan to include more detail.
• Review the appointment system to improve access for patients.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 1 February 2017

The provider had resolved the concerns identified at our inspection on 16 March 2016 which applied to this population group. The population group ratings have been updated to reflect this.

Updated 6 May 2016

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

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances or who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances. Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 89%, which was higher than the national average of 82%.

• In the last 12 months 61% of patients diagnosed with asthma had received a review of their care which was lower than the national average of 75%.

• Patients told us children and young people were treated in an age appropriate way and were recognised as individuals and we observed evidence on the day of the inspection to confirm this.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives and health visitors.

Updated 6 May 2016

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

• The practice offered personalised care to meet the needs of the older people within its population.

• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

Updated 6 May 2016

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.

• The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.

Updated 6 May 2016

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

• Within the last 12 months 76% of patients diagnosed with dementia had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting, which was lower than the national average of 84%.

• Performance in the mental health indicators were comparable with national averages.

• The practice worked with multidisciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those living with dementia.

• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients living with dementia.

• Patients experiencing poor mental health were advised how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• The practice had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.

• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and those living with dementia.

Updated 6 May 2016

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

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including homeless people, travellers and those with a learning disability. The computer system alerted staff when a patient was on this register.

• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.

• The practice regularly worked with multi disciplinary teams in the case management of people whose circumstances could make them vulnerable.

• Patients whose circumstances could make them vulnerable were advised how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in normal working hours and out of hours.