Updated 21 May 2019
Pendle Valley Medical Practice is situated in a purpose built health centre premises located close to the centre of Nelson (Carr Road, Nelson, BB9 7SR). The practice also has a branch surgery at Brierfield Health Care Centre, Arthur Street, Brierfield, BB9 5SN. We did not visit the branch site as part of this inspection.
The practice is part of the NHS East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Services are delivered under an Alternative Provider Medical Service (APMS) contract with NHS England. There are approximately 14,800 registered patients.
While Padiham Group Practice is the lead provider and therefore registered as such with CQC, the provider running the practice is a collaboration between Padiham Group Practice, Waterfoot Group of Doctors and East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, known as PWE Healthcare. The organisation also manages two other GP practices in the area.
The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, maternity and midwifery services, family planning, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury. These are delivered from both sites.
Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as level two on a scale of one to 10. Level one represents the highest level of deprivation and level 10 the lowest.
The average life expectancy of the practice population is below the local and national averages for both males and females (80.1 years for females, compared to CCG average of 81.4 and national average of 83.2 and 76 years for males compared to CCG average of 76.9 and national average of 79.2).
The practice patient list has a higher proportion of younger patients when compared to the average GP practice in England. For example, 27.2% are aged under 18 years (22% locally and 20.5% nationally). Conversely, the practice has a lower proportion of older patients, with 11.9% of patients being over 65 years of age (18.1% locally and 17.3% nationally). The practice has 44.1% of its population with a long-standing health condition, which is lower than the local average of 55.1% and the England average of 51.4%.
The practice is staffed by three salaried GPs. They are supported by an operational manager, two nurse practitioners, three practice nurses, two pharmacists and an administration team including secretaries and reception staff.
When the practice is closed patients are asked to contact NHS 111 for Out of Hours GP care, provided locally by East Lancashire Medical Services.
The current provider took over the practice in July 2018. Therefore, unless stated, data and results used throughout the report and evidence tables relate to the previous registered provider.