The Arthur Medical Centre

Updated 23 January 2024

The Arthur Medical Centre provides primary medical care services to approximately 9,100 patients. The practice is based in a building close to the centre of Horsley Woodhouse - specifically at Main Street, Horsley Woodhouse, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 6AX.

The practice has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. This is a contract for the practice to deliver primary care services to the local community. The practice is located within the area covered by Southern Derbyshire Integrated Care Board and within the Belper Primary Care Network (PCN).

Information published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the population group is 8 (8 out of 10). The higher the decile the less deprived the practice population is relative to others. According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the practice area is 98.4% White, 0.6% Asian and 1% Mixed.

The practice is open between 8am am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday. The practice offers a range of appointment types including book on the day, telephone consultations and advance appointments.

Extended access is provided locally through a hub at six locations, where late evening and weekend appointments are available. When the practice is closed, patients are asked to contact NHS 111 for out-of-hours care or access the out-of-hours hubs for appointments which are provided by DHU.

The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the following regulated activities: surgical procedures, treatment of disease, disorder or injury, diagnostic and screening procedures, maternity and midwifery services and family planning. The practice’s staff consists of four GPs partners (all female) and two salaried GPs (one male, one female), five practice nurses, two healthcare assistants, a practice business manager, a deputy practice manager, a QOF and IG lead and a team of reception/administrative staff. The practice has a GP training practice status and provides personalised tuition to GP trainees. Additionally, the practice is supported by staff employed through their PCN who include advanced clinical practitioners, clinical pharmacists, first contact physiotherapists, mental health practitioners and nurse associates.

Updated 23 January 2024

We carried out an announced assessment of The Arthur Medical Centre on 17 November 2023.

This was a targeted review of responsive services. The practice was previously inspected in January 2019 and had previously been rated good overall and good in safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Any previous ratings for the overall rating, safe, effective, caring and well-led will be unchanged following this assessment.

Rating at this assessment:

Responsive – Requires improvement.

How we carried out the assessment

This assessment was carried out virtually, through an online meeting and review of documents. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.

This included:

• Requesting evidence from the provider.
• A virtual meeting with the provider.

Our findings

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found when we carried out the assessment
• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
• information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as requires improvement for responsive services.

We found that:

• During the assessment process, the provider highlighted the efforts they were making to improve the responsiveness of the service for their patient population. These included a new appointments system to meet increased demand for on the day care and treatment. The effect of these efforts had not yet been evaluated, therefore not yet reflected in patient feedback.
• Data from the national survey showed the practice performed below local and national average for most of the indicators related to access, and on a downward trend.
• The practice actively engaged with patients and responded to their feedback by revamping their appointment system to meet demand for on the day treatment.
• The practice responded to the growing list size by expanding their premises to increase clinical and non-clinical rooms. This would enable them to see more patients at the surgery and accommodate more staff.
• The were systems in place for monitoring appointments offered and telephone data. Staff rotas were proactively planned to meet demand during busy times and in anticipation of winter pressures.
• Patients could access services online through the practice website and the NHS App.
• Complaints received were reviewed effectively and learning from complaints was shared and implemented by the whole practice team.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Continue to review and evaluate measures put in place to improve access to appointments and demonstrate how they are responding to feedback from patients on access.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Health Care