Willerby Hill

Updated 10 August 2016

Background

Humber NHS Foundation Trust is an integrated community and acute trust providing healthcare across Hull and surrounding areas.

An out-of-hours service is provided as part of Humber NHS Foundation Trust services. The out-of-hours service provides urgent medical and health care for patients in the East Riding during the period when doctor’s surgeries are closed. Patients who require the services of a GP out of hours are diverted to the OOH service by the telephone system at their own GP surgery, or by ringing the out of hours service directly. The clinic also receives electronic (computerised) prompts and

information from the NHS 111 service. Any patient in the area that has called 111, and who has been assessed by that service as needing to see a GP, will have their computerised details sent immediately to the clinic. The GP on duty contacts these patients to arrange an appointment at the clinic, or to arrange a home visit.

Care is delivered by doctors (experienced general practitioners), First Contact Practitioners (FCP) who are advanced nurse practitioners who have undertaken additional training in order to provide high quality care in the out-of-hours period and community nurses. For patients to access this service they are asked to call NHS 111.

The service operates Monday to Friday 6pm to 8am, weekends and bank holidays 24 hours.

Humber NHS Foundation Trust serves a population catchment area of approximately 600,000. Patients access the Out-of-Hours service by telephoning the NHS 111 service, where their medical need is assessed based on the symptoms they report when they call. If patients need to be seen by a clinician, appointments are booked directly at the most convenient primary care centre, or a home visit requested. The timing of appointments is prioritised according to patient need.

The services are provided from the following four hospital trust sites and primary care centres based in Beverley, Bridlington, Goole and Hedon. In February 2016 the out of hours service dealt with 2464 patients.

Humber NHS Foundation Trust have various lead roles across all of their locations including a clinical lead for Out-of-Hours, service leads, data protection lead, director on call Caldicott guardian, infection control lead, medicines lead and safeguarding leads for both adults and children.

Humber NHS Foundation Trust have various lead roles across all of their locations including a clinical lead for Out-of-Hours, service leads, infection control lead, medicines lead and safeguarding leads for both adults and children.

Updated 10 August 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Humber NHS Foundation Trust Out of Hours (OOH) services on the 22 April 2016. We reviewed the services at East Riding Community Hospital and Goole primary care centre where these services are based. Overall the service is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• All staff were encouraged and supported to record any incidents. There was evidence of good investigation, learning and sharing mechanisms in place.

• There was a clear leadership structure and a stable workforce in place. Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities and told us the GPs and managers were accessible and supportive.

• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed. There were good governance arrangements and appropriate policies in place.

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.

• The primary care centre had excellent facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Vehicles used for home visits were clean, well maintained and equipped.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat and meet the needs of patients.

• There was a complaints policy and clear information available for patients who wished to make a complaint.

• The practice sought patient views how improvements could be made to the service, through the NHS Friends and Family Test.

• The ethos of the practice was to deliver good patient centred care.

• The service was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour (being open and transparent with people who use the service, in relation to care and treatment provided).

However, there were areas of practice where they should make improvements:

• Review the provision of signage inviting patients to request a chaperone.

• Review chaperone training for staff. .

• Review the provision and signage re complaints and health information in the waiting areas of the OOH facility.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice