The Thorpe Practice - Hackenthorpe Branch

Updated 18 May 2016

Hackenthorpe Medical Centre is situated in Sheffield 12 which is in an area of moderate deprivation. The surgery is located in purpose built premises with on site car parking and good transport links to the city centre. The practice offers minor surgical procedures and provides services to a local nursing home. The patient list size is approximately 6,500.

There are five GP partners (four female and one male); four salaried GPs (all female); one nurse practitioner (female) who is a nurse prescriber; two practice nurses (both female); four health care assistants (all female). There are six receptionists, two administrative staff; a business manager and a practice manager. Hackenthorpe Medical Centre is a teaching practice and takes medical students.

The practice is open between 8.30am and 6.00pm Monday to Friday. Bookable appointments are from 8.30am to 10.45pm every morning and 3.15pm to 5.45pm each afternoon. Extended hours appointments are offered on offered on Tuesday evenings until 8.00 pm weekdays. NHS 111 provides access to services if the practice is closed.

Updated 18 May 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hackenthorpe Medical Centre on 19 April 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 been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said 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. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well 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.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice holds a Communication Cell meeting each day to develop team communication and drive continuous improvement.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 18 May 2016

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in long term condition chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.
• Performance for diabetes related indicators was better than the national average. For example, the percentage of patients with diabetes on the register who have had influenza immunisation in the preceding 12 months was 100% (national average 94%).
• 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. 

Updated 18 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 and 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.
• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals, and we saw evidence to confirm this.
• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 82%, which was comparable to the national average of 81%.
• 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 18 May 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 18 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 18 May 2016

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

• 94% of patients diagnosed with dementia who had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which is higher than the national average of 84%.
• The percentage of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who have a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in their records in the preceding 12 months was 92% and higher than the national average of 88%.
• 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 carried out advance care planning for patients 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 those living with dementia.

Updated 18 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 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 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.