Archived: Woodseats Medical Centre

Updated 8 September 2016

Woodseats Medical Centreis situated in the Woodseats area of Sheffield city centre. The practice provides services for 8,700 patients under the terms of the NHS Personal Medical Services contract. The practice catchment area is classed as within the group of the third less deprived areas in England. The age profile of the practice population is similar to other GP practices in the Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area.

The practice has six GP partners (three female and three male), three salaried GPs (two female and one male), three practice nurses and three healthcare assistant . They are supported by a team of practice management staff and an administration team.

The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Appointments with staff are available at various times throughout the day. The practice run a GP led telephone assessment service whereby patients requesting to see a doctor are put through immediately to speak to a GP who makes an initial assessment and books whatever appointments are required. Extended hours are offered on Monday evenings until 8.15pm and on Tuesday mornings from 7am and one Saturday each month. When the practice is closed calls were answered by the out-of-hours service which is accessed via the surgery telephone number or by calling the NHS 111 service.

Updated 8 September 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Woodseats Medical Centre on 18 August 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

• 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.
• 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 satisfactory facilities and was 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.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Carry out a Legionella risk assessment.
• Improve governance around the complaints process.
• Include suitability of furnishings and equipment in the infection control audit and action as appropriate

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 8 September 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.
• Performance for diabetes related indicators was similar to the CCG and national average. For example, the percentage of patients with diabetes, on the register, who have d had influenza immunisation in the preceding 12 months was 96% (CCG, 96%; 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.
• The practice had  developed a patient focussed approach to chronic disease management with a Birthday Review System which gives ave patients information to enable them to take ownership of their condition whilst gaining a better understanding.

Updated 8 September 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 97%, which was above the CCG average of 89% and the national average of 82%.
• 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 and the practice had developed their own template for the assessment of a sick child. 

Updated 8 September 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 8 September 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 8 September 2016

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

• 88% of patients diagnosed with dementia who had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which is comparable to the CCG (86%) and national average (84%).
• Performance for mental health related indicators was similar to the CCG and national average. For example, the percentage of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who have a comprehensive agreed care plan documented in the record in the preceding 12 months was 90% (CCG, 90%; national average, 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 8 September 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 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.