• Doctor
  • GP practice

49 Marine Avenue Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

49 Marine Avenue, Whitley Bay, Tyne And Wear, NE26 1NA (0191) 252 4527

Provided and run by:
Northumbria Primary Care Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 7 September 2018

49 Marine Avenue Surgery is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services. The practice is located in the town of Whitley Bay in North Tyneside.

The practice provides services to around 6,100 patients from one location: 49 Marine Avenue, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE26 1NA. We visited this address as part of the inspection.

The practice changed provider in September 2016 to become part of Northumbria Primary Care (NPC). Staff at the practice comprises an executive lead GP (female) and four salaried GPs (one male and three females), two nurse practitioner (both female), one practice nurse (female), one healthcare assistant (female), a practice manager, a reception manager, and a team of administrative and reception staff. There were additional staff who worked for NPC who oversaw some of the administrative functions of the practice. They also offered clinical support, and the practice could call on clinicians from other practices within the NPC group instead of using locums

The practice is part of North Tyneside clinical commissioning group (CCG). The practice population is made up of a higher than average proportion of patients over the age 65 (26.6% compared to the national average of 18.9%). The number of patients over the age of 75 is also well above the national average (13.8% compared to 8.8% nationally). Information taken from Public Health England placed the area in which the practice is located in the ninth less deprived decile. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services. Life expectancy for both male and females is above local and national averages (female – 84 compared to the CCG average of 82, and male – 80 compared to the CCG average of 78).

The practice is located in a converted three storey building. Patient facilities are on the ground and first floors. There is no dedicated car parking at the site however; there is parking in the streets surrounding the surgery. There is a disabled WC and step-free access.

Opening hours are between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday. Patients can book appointments in person, on-line or by telephone. Appointments in the evenings and weekends are available at a nearby “hub”. A duty doctor is available each afternoon until 6.30pm.

The practice provides services to patients of all ages based on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract agreement for general practice.

The service for patients requiring urgent medical attention out of hours is provided by the NHS 111 service and Vocare, known locally as Northern Doctors Urgent Care Limited (NDUC).

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 7 September 2018

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating under former provider April 2016 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at 49 Marine Avenue Surgery on 10 July 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

  • The practice had made a number of improvements since changing provider in September 2016.
  • The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
  • The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
  • Staff told us they felt supported during the change of provider.
  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

We also saw an area of outstanding practice:

  • The provider operated a closed social media group to deliver educational sessions, to help promote staff learning and skills development. These were live stream sessions to which all of the provider’s clinical staff were invited. These sessions covered a range of topics such as: managing diabetes for patients with end-of-life needs; improving referrals management; the use of a haematology ‘app’ (this session was led by a consultant doctor); the development of a scoring tool to promote better antibiotic prescribing.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Continue to take steps to ensure that staff training is up to date and there is a central record of what training has been completed.
  • Continue to ensure all staff receive an annual appraisal.
  • Make information about how to make a complaint available to patients in the waiting area without them having to ask for it at reception.
  • Continue to look for ways to identify patients who may be carers.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.