Archived: Dr Nicola Whitehouse Also known as Dr N J Whitehouse Surgery

Updated 27 February 2018

Dr Nicola Whitehouse is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual GP practice. The practice is located in Wolverhampton and has good transport links for patients travelling by public transport. Parking is available at the rear of the practice. The practice is a single storey building and although the corridors are narrow the practice is accessible to patients with mobility difficulties and patients who use a wheelchair.

The practice team consists of one female GP who works full time, nine to 10 sessions per week. The GP is currently supported by a practice nurse. Clinical staff are supported by a practice manager and four administration / receptionist staff. In total there are eight staff employed either full or part time hours to meet the needs of patients. The practice also uses the same GP locums at times of absence to support the clinicians and meet the needs of patients at the practice.

The practice has a General Medical Services contract with NHS England to provide medical services to approximately 2,464 patients. It provides Directed Enhanced Services, such as childhood vaccinations and immunisations and the care of patients with a learning disability. The practice is located in one of the most deprived areas of Wolverhampton. People living in more deprived areas tend to have a greater need for health services.

The practice is open Monday from 8.30am to 7.45pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8am to 6.30pm and Thursday 8am to 2.30pm. Appointments times for patients vary for the GP and practice nurse and include both morning and afternoon clinic sessions. Appointments with the GP are available Monday to Friday 9.30am to 12.30pm, Tuesday 4pm to 5pm, Wednesday 1pm to 3pm and Friday 3pm to 5pm. Appointments with the practice nurse are Monday 2.45pm to 7.45pm and Tuesday and Wednesday 9am to 2pm. The practice does not provide an out-of-hours service to its patients but has alternative arrangements for patients to be seen when the practice is closed. Patients are directed to Wolverhampton Doctors on Call Limited when the practice is closed on Thursday afternoon. At all other times when the practice is closed, patients are directed to the out of hours service Vocare via the NHS 111 service.

Updated 27 February 2018

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Nicola Whitehouse on 22 August 2016 as part of our regulatory functions. The service was rated as requires improvement overall. The practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe and well led services. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Dr Nicola Whitehouse on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

An announced focused inspection at Dr Nicola Whitehouse was carried out on 20 September 2017. We found improvements had been made and the overall rating for the service was good with requires improvement in providing safe services. You can read the follow up inspection report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Dr Nicola Whitehouse on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 17 January 2018 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 at our previous inspection on 20 September 2017.

The registered persons had not ensured there was proper and safe management of medicines. In particular:

• The results of all blood tests were not routinely obtained before giving patients’ a repeat prescription for high risk medicines.
• Guidance for staff on whether any uncollected prescriptions should be referred to the GP before they were destroyed was not in place.
• An effective system was not in place to ensure that medicine reviews were completed for all patients on repeat prescriptions.
• There was a lack of clarity on the process followed to review the medicines of patients with long term conditions at the time of their annual clinical review.

Overall the practice is now rated as Good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• Effective arrangements were in place to ensure the results of blood tests were obtained for all patients prescribed high risk medicines before giving patients’ a repeat prescription.
• There was guidance for staff on whether any uncollected prescriptions should be referred to the GP before they were destroyed.
• Effective systems were in place to ensure that medicine reviews were completed for all patients on repeat prescriptions.
• The process for reviewing the medicines of patients with long term conditions at the time of their annual clinical review had been updated to ensure this was carried out by the GP.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 25 October 2017

At the previous inspection in August 2016 the practice was rated as good overall, however the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. At this inspection we found that the practice had not fully addressed all the concerns raised and remains Requires Improvement for providing safe services which includes this population group. The practice remains rated as good overall.

Updated 25 October 2017

At the previous inspection in August 2016 the practice was rated as good overall, however the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. At this inspection we found that the practice had not fully addressed all the concerns raised and remains Requires Improvement for providing safe services which includes this population group. The practice remains rated as good overall.

Updated 25 October 2017

At the previous inspection in August 2016 the practice was rated as good overall, however the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. At this inspection we found that the practice had not fully addressed all the concerns raised and remains Requires Improvement for providing safe services which includes this population group. The practice remains rated as good overall.

Updated 25 October 2017

At the previous inspection in August 2016 the practice was rated as good overall, however the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. At this inspection we found that the practice had not fully addressed all the concerns raised and remains Requires Improvement for providing safe services which includes this population group. The practice remains rated as good overall.

Updated 25 October 2017

At the previous inspection in August 2016 the practice was rated as good overall, however the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. At this inspection we found that the practice had not fully addressed all the concerns raised and remains Requires Improvement for providing safe services which includes this population group. The practice remains rated as good overall.

Updated 25 October 2017

At the previous inspection in August 2016 the practice was rated as good overall, however the practice was rated as requires improvement for providing safe services. At this inspection we found that the practice had not fully addressed all the concerns raised and remains Requires Improvement for providing safe services which includes this population group. The practice remains rated as good overall.