Background to this inspection
Updated
26 June 2018
Avenham Surgery is a single-handed GP practice and is based in a purpose built facility, Avenham Lane Health Centre in Avenham Lane, Preston, PR1 3RG. The building also accommodates community health services. The practice is part of Greater Preston Clinical Commissioning Group and all services are delivered under a General Medical Services (GMS) contract. Information on services offered can be found on the practice website at
The practice provides services to 3655 registered patients. Data shows the practice population is made up of a lower proportion of patients aged 65 years and over than nationally (5% compared to 17%) with the majority of patients being aged between 25 and 49 years of age (47%, compared to 35% nationally). Figures indicate the percentage of patients from a black or minority ethnic background is 37%.
Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as one on a scale of one to 10. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level 10 the lowest. There are 54% of patients with a long-standing health condition; the same as the national average. The practice has a higher percentage of unemployed patients compared with the national average; 7% compared with 5%.
Although the practice opens its doors from 8.30am to 6pm each weekday, patients can telephone the surgery from 8am in the morning and between 6pm and 6.30pm, when telephone access to the practice is diverted to a mobile telephone number. When the practice is closed patients are advised to contact NHS 111. Out of hours service is provided by GotoDoc Ltd., based at Preston hospital.
One regular female long-term locum GP who provides lunchtime surgeries on two days in the week, supports the male principal GP. An advanced nurse practitioner, a practice nurse and a healthcare assistant who also acts as the practice medicines co-ordinator, support the GPs. The practice has three administrative and reception staff who are led by the practice manager.
The service provider changed in November 2017 with the retirement of the principal GP and the practice has continued to offer services to existing and new patients. The practice provides family planning, maternity and midwifery services, treatment of disease, disorder or injury and diagnostic and screening procedures as their regulated activities.
Updated
26 June 2018
This practice is rated as Good overall.
(Avenham Surgery is a new registered practice and this is the first inspection of the service under this provider.)
The key questions 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 Avenham Surgery on 18 May 2018. This inspection was carried out under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. The inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
At this inspection we found:
- The practice had clear systems to manage risk so 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 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 they were able to access care when they needed it.
- There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation. We saw many areas where improvements had been made since the new provider took over the practice and we saw considerable evidence of enthusiasm and drive by the practice to deliver patient-centred care.
We saw one area of outstanding practice:
- The practice had appointed a “practice media champion” to support and maintain the new practice website and social media page. They were given protected time every week for this work. They used the online sites to engage with patients and promote health awareness, co-ordinating the selected topics with national campaigns and local initiatives. They kept a table of this work to ensure the sites were up to date and relevant.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Continue to follow the new protocol for managing communications coming into the practice, including GP audit of the process.
- Implement the new risk assessment tools to assure the day-to-day safety of the surgery premises.
- Continue to implement the new staff training programme.
- Consider keeping copies of patient care plans in patient own homes for patients with care plans in place.
- Continue to identify and support patients who are carers.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice