Sarephed Medical Centre

Updated 22 April 2016

Saraphed Medical Centre is a long established practice located in Smethwick. There are approximately 3300 patients of various ages and a high proportion of ethnic minority groups compared to the local and national averages. The practice has a high turnover of patients, due to the high asylum seeking population. Services to patients are provided under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. The practice has expanded its contracted obligations to provide enhanced services to patients. An enhanced service is above the contractual requirement of the practice and is commissioned to improve the range of services available to patients.

The clinical team includes two GP partners (male), and two longstanding GP locums (one female), three practice nurses and a healthcare assistant. The GP partners and the practice manager form the practice management team. The practice also employed a part time advisory manager to support the development of the new practice manager. They are supported by four receptionists, a practice secretary and an administrator.

The practice is open between 8.45am to1.00pm and 3.00pm to 7.00pm on Mondays, 8.45am to1.00pm and 1.30pm to 6.30pm Tuesdays and Fridays, 8.45am to1.00pm Wednesdays and between 8.45am to1.00pm and 3.00pm to 7.30pm Thursdays. Appointments are available at these times. When the practice was closed patients could access help by telephoning the practice after which their call was transferred to the NHS 111 service for assistance.

Updated 22 April 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Saraphed Medical Centre on 17 February 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. Staff had received training appropriate their roles.
• The practice was responsive to the needs of the local population. The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. The strategy to deliver this vision had been produced with stakeholders and was regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by the GPs and management team

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 22 April 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.
• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.
• All these patients had a named GP and 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.
• Patients receive personalised care from a named GP to support continuity of care.

Updated 22 April 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.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.
• We saw examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses.
• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals.
• Immunisation rates were comparable to local and national averages.
• The practice demonstrated how they encouraged uptake of the screening programme by using information in different languages

Updated 22 April 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. For example monthly clinics held by the community matron.
• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.
• Patients receive personalised care from a named GP to support continuity of care.
• The premises were accessible to patients with mobility difficulties.
• The percentage of patients aged 65 or over who received flu vaccinations was comparable to the national average.

Updated 22 April 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.
• The practice offered extended hours for working patients who could not attend during normal opening hours.

Updated 22 April 2016

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

• 96% of patients diagnosed with dementia who had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which is above the national average.
• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• The practice worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health.
• The GP had completed a post graduate diploma in mental health to support the needs of this patient group. The practice conducted case studies for five patients with mental health problems, these patients are now supported in primary care by the practice, a dedicated mental health clinic will be commencing in April to continue with the positive results experienced by the five patients.
• All staff had received Mental Capacity Act training.

Updated 22 April 2016

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

• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability.
• 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.
• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people. Communicable disease testing was available at the practice.