Archived: The Practice Beaumont Leys

Updated 10 May 2017

The Practice Beaumont Leys is a GP practice providing primary medical services to around 6,900 patients within a residential area. The practice’s services are commissioned by Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group (LCCCG).

The practice is part of a large public company (The Practice Surgeries Ltd). The service is provided by one salaried GP (who is also the clinical lead) and four long term locum GPs. There is a nursing team comprising of a part-time nurse practitioner, two practice nurses and a nurse associate. The practice also employs two part-time pharmacists, one of whom is based at the practice and the other working remotely. They are supported by a practice manager and a team of reception and administration staff. Additional support is provided by a central management team as part of The Practice Surgeries Ltd.

The practice is located in a ground floor building which is shared with Beaumont Leys Health Centre. All patient facilities are on the ground floor.

The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Extended hours appointments are offered between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on a Monday and from 8am to 10am on a Saturday. In addition to pre-bookable appointments, urgent appointments and telephone consultations are available for people that need them. The practice also holds walk-in clinics three days a week to help with access.

Patients can access out of hours support from the national advice service NHS 111. The practice also provides details for the nearest walk-in centre to treat minor illnesses and injuries, as well as accident and emergency departments.

Updated 10 May 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Practice Beaumont Leys on 16 August 2016. The overall rating for the practice was good but the rating for providing a safe service was requires improvement as we identified a breach in regulations. The full comprehensive report on the August 2016 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Practice Beaumont Leys on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 11 April 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 16 August 2016. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements.

Overall the practice is still rated as good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• The system for reporting significant events was effective and comprehensive.

• There was now a system in place to monitor the use of blank prescription forms and pads.

• The correct authorisation process was followed to allow nursing staff to administer vaccines under a patient group directive.

• The temperature of the room where emergency medicines were stored was monitored and the temperature for vaccine fridges was documented in line with the practice protocol.

• All areas of the practice were maintained and cleaned appropriately to prevent the spread of infection.

• Exception reporting data was higher than the national average in some areas, however the practice was able to demonstrate errors in this data and we found that exception reporting was appropriate.

• Locum GPs had access to relevant information as the locum induction pack had been updated and recirculated to all locum GPs.

• The minutes of the practice meetings were comprehensive and identified that previous agenda items or actions from previous meetings had been followed up.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 13 October 2016

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.

• 72% of those diagnosed with diabetes had a blood test to assess diabetes control (looking at how blood sugar levels have been averaging over recent weeks) compared to the national average of 78%.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients had a named GP and were offered a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met.

• For those patients with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 13 October 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 and who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances.

• Immunisation rates were comparable to local averages for all standard childhood immunisations.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 69%, which was comparable to the CCG average of 69% and the national average of 74%.

• 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, health visitors and school nurses.

Updated 13 October 2016

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

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in 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 13 October 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 13 October 2016

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

• 98% of those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder or other had a comprehensive and agreed care plan in place, compared to the national average of 88%.

• 100% of patients with a diagnosis of dementia had their care reviewed in a face-to-face review, compared to the national average of 84%.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those living with dementia.

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about 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 dementia.

Updated 13 October 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 those with a learning disability.

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

• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.

• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable 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.