Archived: Milton Keynes

This service is rated as Good overall.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection at 118 Limited, Milton Keynes NHS111 Call Centre on 10 October 2019. This was an inspection undertaken as part of our inspection program.

At this inspection we found:

• The service had good systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When they did happen, the service learned from them and improved their processes.
• The service had effective systems to help protect people from abuse but the process of ensuring a referral had been received needed strengthening.
• The service routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care was delivered according to evidence-based guidelines and in accordance with NHS Pathways.
• Call handling performance in some indicators did not meet the minimum data set targets.
• Staff involved and treated people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• Patients were able to access care and treatment from the service within an appropriate timescale for their needs.
• There was a focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
• The staff appraisal process was not yet embedded.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Continually review their call handling process to help achieve higher performance aligned to the minimum data set key performance indicators.
• Implement the digital safeguarding referral system to provide assurance that such referrals have been received.
• Implement and embed a formal process of staff appraisal.
• Review the capacity of senior managers to run the service and provide out-of-hours managerial cover.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care