The Surgery will close at 12 noon on each of the following days and will re-open the following morning as normal.
The dates for training events are as follows (they may also be subject to change)
Any changes will appear on the website and will be shown in surgery.
Anyone who thinks they may be suffering from the coronavirus must stay indoors, please do not go to A&E or your surgery.
Simply call 111 who have staff ready to discuss any symptoms and they will advise you further.
Urgent care services in Sunderland are changing
Patients in Sunderland will be able to access NHS urgent care services more simply and closer to home after 1 August 2019.
From 1 August 2019, the best way to access NHS urgent care services will be to contact your GP practice or local pharmacy, or call NHS 111 when they are closed.
Urgent care is for minor injuries or illnesses which need medical attention the same day, but are not serious enough for the Emergency Department.
From 1 August 2019, these will be the main urgent care services for patients in Sunderland:
To find out more, please visit www.sunderlandccg.nhs.uk.
We offer Community Based Warfarin Clinics. These services are provided by a team of specialist community pharmacists. You can choose to be reviewed in the community setting in one of our local community clinics or alternatively in secondary care.
If our clinics are full we can access an Out of hours service this includes our Locality GP’s and Advanced Nurse Practitioners.
They are located at
Houghton Health Centre
Riverview Health Centre
Pallion Health Centre
Washington Health Centre
If you follow this link it will take you to the following information
Sunderland Extended Access Service Information
The New City Medical Centre Patient Leaflet
The practice has been operating from this building in Tatham Street since the premises were built in 1992.
THE DOCTORS
Dr Sarah Schofield
M.B.,B.S (Distinction) University of Newcastle, MRCGP (merit) 2001
Entered the Practice in 2008
Dr R. McAleese
MBChB University of Glasgow, MRCGP 2008
Entered the Practice in 2014
Dr K Lobacz
Medical University of Silesia 1999 – 2005 – Masters Degree in Medicine
MRCGP – 2014
MD – June 2015
Entered the Practice on 1st October 2018
PRACTICE STAFF
Practice Manager – Janice Preece. She is responsible for overall running of the Practice and is continuously liaising with doctors, nurses and non-clinical staff.
Complaints
All complaints should be in writing and forwarded to Janice Preece this will allow the Practice Manager to investigate your concerns/complaint thoroughly and in a timely manner before they can decide any action and outcomes
The Practice Manager will endeavour to see you and try to address and iron out any concerns you may have however that will be dependent on the Practice Managers availability
Assistant Practice Manager – Anne-Marie Bell. She is responsible for the reception team. She also covers for the Practice Manager in their absence.
Practice Secretary
Tracey Bew/ Patricia Russell
Administration Team
Patricia Russell Tracey Bew Emma Weatheritt
Elizabeth Davison Margie Clark Ann Wonnacott (new employee)
The staff in reception and in the office will assist you in making appointments and ordering prescriptions. They will try to answer your questions and offer help and assistance where they can.
Confidentiality of patient information is a legal requirement all staff at the Practice are trained to respect patient confidentiality and keep patient information safe at all times.
TRAINING
We neither teach undergraduate medical students, nor train graduate doctors at present, although it is our intention to do so in the future.
NURSE PRACTITIONER
Sister Yvonne Robinson. She is available by appointment.
Sister Robinson provides a wide range of services for our chronic patients and holds regular review appointments on a daily basis. Some of these chronic diseases include Diabetes, Asthma & COPD, and Coronary Heart Disease. This patient group will be invited into clinic by letter to attend the Practice on an annual basis or earlier if the Nurse Practitioner feels appropriate
Sister Robinson also carries out cervical screening, holiday vaccinations, and childhood immunisations, national campaign vaccination programmes such as Flu, Pneumonia and shingle vaccinations. Please ask a member of the admin team for further advice and information they will be able to advise you regarding an appointment
Sister Robinson, Our Nurse Practitioner also holds regular Minor Ailment Clinics an example of what she can see and treat are: chest infections, ear infections, urine infections etc. please advise a member of the administrative team what the nature of your appointment is for they will then advise you if this is something our Nurse Practitioner could treat and deal with they will arrange an appointment for you Please note there are some conditions that our Nurse Practitioner cannot treat so it is advisable to check with one of our administrative team when making your appointment. For acute and minor ailments you can normally get an appointment with our Nurse Practitioner the same day
The Nurse Practitioner also offers lifestyle and dietary advice and please ask the advice of one of our administrative team who will be more than happy to assist you
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT
Sharon Bamford is available by appointment.
Nurse Bamford provides a comprehensive choice of services which include smoking and alcohol advice, health checks, blood tests, height, weight and blood pressure checks.
TREATMENT ROOM NURSE
The treatment room nurse is available by appointment for a wide range of services including blood tests, ECGs, removal of sutures, blood pressure checks and ear syringing (on the doctor’s instructions).
DISTRICT NURSES
We have an attached team of District Nurses.
HEALTH VISITOR – Community Team
MIDWIVES – Karen Dobbing
PRACTICE PHARMACIST – Christine Stewart
SURGERY HOURS
Our surgery is open from:
Monday 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Thursday 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Friday 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Sister Robinson’s Clinic Times
Monday 8:30 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Wednesday 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.
Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m
MAKING AN APPOINTMENT
If your symptoms have only materialised in the last 24-48hours such as sore-throat, cold symptoms, slight fever etc. you may wish to consider contacting your local Pharmacy first
YOU DO NOT ALWAYS REQUIRE AN ANTI-BIOTIC FOR THESE AILMENTS AND YOUR GP WILL NOT ALWAYS PRESCRIBE ANTIBIOTICS AT SUCH AN EARLY STAGE OF YOUR SYMPTOMS CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL PHARMACY
To make an appointment please ring on 0191 5675571. We run a full appointment system for Doctors, Nurses and other health related staff. Surgeries are held each morning and afternoons. Appointments can be made each morning and throughout the day until 6 p.m. in the evening.
If you need to be seen on the day and you feel your medical complaint cannot wait you should ring 0191 5675571 which is answered from 8:30 a.m. an appointment time will then be allotted to you, please note once these urgent allotted times have all been taken, your name, details and telephone number will be taken and the doctor on duty if deemed appropriate will ring you and arrange an appointment for you to be seen.
HOME VISITS
If you are incapacitated or too ill to come to the surgery you can request a home visit, you should ring one of the surgery numbers before 10 a.m. so that the Doctors can plan their rounds for the day. If you need a Doctor immediately tell the receptionist and you will be put through to the Doctor.
Home visits are only made for the terminally ill or for those patients who are truly bed-bound and where travel by car would cause deterioration in their condition. If you have severe crushing chest pain or other signs of a heart attack, the sensible approach is to call an emergency paramedic ambulance. A GP visit is not considered usual in the following circumstances: Common symptoms of childhood, temperature, cold, cough, earache, diarrhoea/vomiting. These patients are usually well enough to travel by car and it may not be harmful to take them outside. They may not be fit to travel by bus but car transport is available from friends, family and taxi firms. It is not the Doctor’s responsibility to arrange such transport.
Adults registered with a Sunderland GP who have a diagnosis of COPD should contact the URGENT CARE TEAM directly on 07766408661.
OUT OF HOURS AND WEEKEND CALLS
Sunderland TPCT is responsible for commissioning the OOH service on behalf of the practice. If you need to see a doctor urgently OOH please ring 0191 5675571 and the answer machine will provide you with the details of how to contact a Doctor. For advice only ring NHS 111.
CLINICS
ANTE NATAL CLINIC
The Community Midwives run this clinic on a Thursday afternoon with appointments between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Once you know that you are pregnant you should contact the surgery and make an appointment to see the Midwives, you will be booked at the hospital for delivery and the team of Midwives will take over your care. They will follow you throughout your pregnancy, delivery and post-natal period, monitoring you and your baby’s wellbeing and deal with any questions or concerns you may have during this time. The Midwives also run a preparing for baby class at Sunderland maternity unit. Please ask your Midwife for further information. The Midwives are based at Riverview Medical Centre and can be contacted on 0191 5678911 on weekdays during office hours. You can, of course see your GP at any time, during your pregnancy.
BABY CLINIC
For babies and toddlers from birth to five years, clinics are supported by a GP and the Nurse Practitioner Sister Yvonne Robinson. The Clinics are held each Monday from 3.00 p.m. until 4.20 p.m. You will be sent an appointment by Children’s Immunisation Department for your child to attend his/her immunizations at New City Medical Centre and periodic health checks. These clinics are on the 1st floor.
PRAMS
Due to health and safety all prams/pushchairs are not permitted upstairs. We can offer to store prams/pushchairs in our secured reception area.
POST NATAL CLINIC
You will be sent an appointment for approximately six weeks after the birth of your baby to see one of the doctors.
CONTRACEPTIVE ADVICE
Our Nurse Practitioner Sister Yvonne Robinson and Doctors are trained to give free confidential advice on any contraceptive or sexual health issues or any concerns you may have concerning your health. You will immediately be put at ease during the consultation and you can be reassured that the discussion and advice that you are given will be kept strictly confidential. We have both trained female and male Doctors at the Practice who can advise you on various methods of contraception these would include the oral contraceptive pill, pill injections, coil fitting and coil removal, implant fitting and removal
The Nurse Practitioner can now offer a more comprehensive Contraceptive Service and is now able to fit longer acting contraception such as Intra Uterine Devices (known as coils) and removal of these devices also the Nurse is now trained to also fit Subdermal Implants into the arm and also removal of Implant as well as supply and offer emergency contraception. The Nurse will discuss at your appointment the best contraceptive treatment plan that suits your needs
Your GP may want to refer you to our experienced Nurse Practitioner to discuss with you further your choice and your options
CERVICAL SMEARS
All women aged 25- 64 will be invited by letter to attend for a cervical smear test. If the patient is under the minimum age but already in the system, she will be eligible for recall. These are performed by our Nurse Practitioner and you should telephone for any appointment stating it is for a smear test. You should have a smear test every 3 to 5 years depending on age group or earlier if advised. All patients will be notified by letter of their smear results
VACCINATIONS AND IMMUNISATIONS
CHILDREN:
The childhood vaccinations are given at the well-baby clinic in the surgery and it is very important that your child has them. If he or she is unwell, please contact the Doctor or Nurse who can assess whether or not to do the vaccination.
Please remember to bring your baby record book when you attend.
ADULTS:
We offer flu vaccinations to all our patients over the age of 65 and those at special risk. These clinics are held between October and December each year. Please make an appointment in the usual way. We also offer pneumonia vaccinations to the over 65s and those at special risk. These can be done at any time during the year and vaccination will protect you from pneumonia for life.
TRAVEL IMMUNISATIONS
If you intend to go abroad on holiday or business you may need the protection of vaccinations. Please see the Nurse Practitioner by appointment, if possible two months before departing. Prior to your appointment we will ask you to complete a vaccination status form, available from reception, which will enable the nurse to offer the necessary advice. This service is not provided under the NHS and there may be a charge.
NB: Malaria tablets are available over the counter from the Pharmacist or on a private prescription from the Doctor.
DIABETIC CLINIC
This clinic is run each Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 9:00 am and 12:30 pm with the Nurse Practitioner. It is important that patients have their diabetic blood test done two weeks before they come to the clinic. Every diabetic should be seen at least annually.
ASTHMA AND CHEST CLINICS
The Nurse Practitioner runs these routinely and you should make an appointment in the usual way.
CORONARY HEART DISEASE CLINIC
This is run by the Nurse Practitioner who will invite patients for an appointment.
SMOKING CESSATION CLINIC
Patients may make a 30 minute appointment with the Health Care Assistant for advice on how to stop smoking.
CRYO SURGERY
Sister Yvonne Robinson holds cryosurgery clinics. Please make an appointment with Sister Robinson to discuss your problem.
NHS HEALTH CHECKS TO ALL PATIENTS AGED 40-74YEARS OF AGE
Any patient aged between 40-74years of age who have no known medical condition recorded are entitled to a free NHS Health Check This free comprehensive Health Check will detect early prevention from diseases such as Cardio Vascular Disease, Stroke, Diabetes this list is not exhaustive Please ask one of our members of the admin team for more information on how you can access this free NHS Health Check Service
MINOR AILMENTS
We can now offer an appointment with our Nurse Practitioner Sister Yvonne Robinson for minor ailments; in most cases we are able to offer an earlier appointment with
Yvonne than we can your regular GP. If you have an urgent medical need that cannot wait and you need to be seen on the same day; please inform one of our reception staff.
TREATMENT ROOM CLINICS
Regular clinics are held every weekday between 8.55 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and 4.40 p.m. (except Thursday afternoons) for the following:
(You must be seen by the Doctor or The Nurse Practitioner before you attend the treatment room)
TELEPHONE CALLS TO THE PRACTICE
Home visits between 8:30 am and 10:00 am
Urgent appointments between 8:30 am and 10:30 a.m.
Routine appointments between 8.30 am and 6:00 pm
Test results between 2:30 pp and 5:00 pm
Repeat Prescriptions between 10am and 12 noon
All results are assessed by a Doctor. The receptionist may give you the result or may ask you to speak to the Doctor. If you have had more than one blood test please inform the receptionist to ensure you are given the correct information. In order to preserve confidentiality we are unable to give out results to anyone other than the patient (except in the case of children) or if you have nominated and given consent to a carer/relative who you wish to act on your behalf This request has to be authorised in writing and we will require an authorising signature and proof of ID of the nominee you have chosen before we can implement this request Please ask one of our administrative team who will be more than help you with this request
DISTRICT NURSE VISITS
When you are discharged from hospital, the District Nurses will be informed if you need a visit (not all patients discharged from hospital are routinely visited). The District Nurse will contact the surgery if she feels the Doctor needs to see you. If you have a problem please contact the surgery where a message can be left for the District Nurse or call them yourself by ringing Riverview Medical Centre on 0191 5027424
The District Nurses also visit patients in their own homes but only if they are truly house-bound or terminally ill and unable to attend the surgery. They provide all aspects of nursing care for patients in their own homes and can refer patients on to other specialized nursing services.
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Sunderland Royal Hospital 0191 5656256
St Benedict’s Hospice 0191 5656256
NHS 111 visit www.nhs.uk/111
Family Planning 0191 5699966
PALS 0191 2130151
District Nurse 0191 5027424
Midwife 0191 5678911
Mind 0191 5657218
Essence Centre dementia Friendly) 0191 5221310
Age UK 0191 5141131
Sunderland Carers Centre 0191 5493768
Social Services
Adult Services 0191 5205552
Children Services 0191 5663300
Bangladesh Team 0191 5658607
Sunderland Children Centre 0191 5205553
Changing lives 0191 2738891
Details of primary medical services in the area can be obtained from:
NHS England CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group)
Pemberton House, Colima Avenue
Sunderland Enterprise Park,
Sunderland, SR5 3XB
0191 5128484
SELF TREATMENT OF COMMON ILLNESSES AND ACCIDENTS,
COLDS AND FLU
There is still no magic cure for these ailments. Go to bed and drink plenty of fluids. If you have a headache or are feverish, take Aspirin (not for under 16’s) or Paracetamol. If the symptoms persist for more than three days, contact your Doctor.
DIARRHOEA AND VOMITING
This is most commonly caused by a virus and settles spontaneously in a few days. Do not take food or milk, but drink large quantities of water, diluted squash or soda water to counter the effects of dehydration. Babies can be given special sachets of sugar and salt crystals obtainable from the Chemist. If vomiting persists for more than 24 hours or 6 hours in babies, contact your Doctor.
With the NHS nowadays, there are lots of choices. By making the right choice at the right time, you get the best possible treatment. Next time you or a family member feels unwell, remember the various opportunities you have to seek help.
SELF HELP: A well-stocked medicine cabinet will help treat many everyday illnesses.
PHARMACIST: Qualified to give advice on common complaints and many health issues.
NHS: A confidential 24 hour helpline and information service.
Tel: 111
VIOLENT PATIENTS
The practice has a zero tolerance policy regarding threatening or abusive behaviour. We expect that you show respect to staff and other patients at all times. Patients who are verbally or physically abusive to any person on the premises could face being removed from the practice with immediate effect.
MOVING OUT OF THE AREA
If a patient moves out of our boundary area they will have 28 days to find a new doctor. Please note that this surgery is not responsible for home visits or treating patients within this time.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Staffs have a legal duty to ensure that all patient information is dealt with in a confidential manner. However, for the effective functioning of a multi-disciplinary team it is sometimes necessary that medical information about you is shared by other members of the team. The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. Please see a member of staff for further information.
COMPLAINTS
A patient wishing to make a complaint should contact the Practice Manager either by attending in person, by telephone or in writing. Our aim is to provide patient satisfaction in all aspects of our work. All complaints will be acknowledged in 3 days and can take up to 6 months to resolve depending on the complexity of the issues to be resolved. However we will aim to respond to most complaints within 28 days.
DISABLED ACCESS
There is disabled access to the front of the building and a lift is available to the first floor consulting rooms and treatment room. If you need assistance please ask a member of staff. A disabled toilet is available.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION – PUBLICATION SCHEME
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the classes of information the practice intends to routinely make available.
ACCESS TO RECORDS
Under that Data Protection Act a patient can ask to view their own records. A request must be in writing and a suitable time will be arranged. If records need to be copied a charge will apply.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
The surgery website is a most effective way of giving our patients access to help and the latest information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It contains complete information about all the services we offer. It also details how the practice is organized and introduces our Doctors, other medical and administrative staff and describes their various responsibilities. For easy, convenient access to our website, bookmark or place our website address in your favourite’s folder today.
REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
If you are on regular medication you will be issued with a printed medication slip. To obtain a repeat prescription either brings the slip or sends it to the surgery and allow 48 hours (excluding weekends) for it to be processed by our computerised system. You can either collect it personally or, if you enclose an S.A.E., we will be pleased to post it to you. Please remember that second class post takes longer to deliver. Some repeat items are able to be sent to your pharmacy electronically, just nominate a pharmacy and any of our administration staff will set this up for you.
You can also order your medication on line, please ask at Reception about this service.
PLEASE NOTE: You can also ring on between 10 a.m. – 12 noon on 0191 5675571 option 2 to order your repeat prescriptions.
SELF CARE SCHEME
If you do not normally pay for your prescriptions you can speak to your local Pharmacist will talk to you and be able to give you over-the-counter medication if necessary for the following conditions:
ADULT: Cough colds, flu, earache, heartburn or indigestion, hay fever, vaginal thrush or cystitis and head lice.
CHILDREN: Cough colds, flu, earache, upset stomach or colic, hay fever and head lice.
HOW TO REGISTER WITH THE PRACTICE
Please refer to the practice boundary map on the surgery wall which shows the area in which the practice will accept new patients. Ask the Receptionist for a New Patient Registration Form, complete the form and arrange an appointment for your New Patient Medical with the Health Care Assistant and then with a GP. You have a right to express a preference for a General Practitioner. Please enquire at reception for details of how to do so.
You can now register on line please ask a member of our administrative team for more details on how to register
HELP US TO HELP YOU
Please inform us if you change your name, address or telephone number. Please try to keep appointments and tell us as soon as you can if you cannot attend. Please note that if you miss three appointments, you may be removed from our practice list. Please read our practice leaflet, which will help you to get the best out of the services we offer. Keep it handy for future use; if there is anything you do not understand please ask a member of staff.
Tatham Street, Sunderland, SR1 2QB
99% of respondents felt their needs were met during their last general practice appointment
96% of respondents find the receptionists at this GP practice helpful
95% of respondents took the appointment they were offered
35% of respondents usually get to see or speak to their preferred GP when they would like to
61% of respondents find it easy to get through to this GP practice by phone
60% of respondents describe their experience of making an appointment as good
FAIR PROCESSING/PRIVACY NOTICE
1 INTRODUCTON
1.1 The law determines how organisations can use the personal information they collect. This is underpinned by the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality together with legislation we must comply with including:
5.2 If you have any concerns about the way we handle your information, please speak to a member of the practice staff.
NEW CITY MEDICAL CENTRE
Patient Participation Group
Newsletter Winter 2017
Hello, this is our 4th Newsletter We would like to welcome 2 new long term locums to the Practice Dr Glenn Rochester & Dr Paula Stidolph.
Dr Rochester and Dr Stidolph will be working and supporting the Practice until we find a suitable GP
| Patient Participation Group (PPG)
Patients are the focus of our Practice and we would like to ask people to think about joining our group. You can have a say in things which happen here and some of you may already have ideas which could help to improve the service but we need you to come along to the meetings. They are held here at the Practice about every 6 weeks, usually on a Wednesday morning at 10am, but if this is not a good time for you please pass a message with your name and phone number to one of the Reception Team marked For the Attn. PPG and we will contact you. Some patients would perhaps like to join the group but for health or other reason may not be able to come along to the meetings. If you have access to a computer and would like to be part of our PPG, if you give your details to a member of Staff marked For the Attn of the PPG, we will look into the possibility of setting up a Virtual Group. So far we have no young people or people from ethnic groups. Would you think about joining, we would like to hear your ideas PLEASE THINK ABOUT JOINING WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT |
Spring is here and there are some interesting things happening in the practice.
| Patient On- Line Access
Did you know you can now book your doctor or nurse appointment on line and get your prescription sent to a nominated pharmacy of your choice electronically This saves you the worry of collecting your prescriptions at the Surgery Please ask a member of the Practice team for more information |
| Anti -Coagulant Clinic
It is with regret we no longer hold an Anti-Coagulant Clinic at the Surgery. However provisions are still being made to hold these clinics at other Practices so you can still be seen by these other providers. These Practices could be closer to you. Please ask at reception for more details. |
Sunderland Health Area
Within the City of Sunderland there are two facilities which you may find useful to know about Sunderland Carers’ Centre and Healthwatch Sunderland
Sunderland Carers’ Centre.
The Centre is there to offer help and support to Carers, whether you are male or female, old or young and irrespective of religion or ethnic grouping. Further information about the Centre can be found at info@sunderlandcarers.co.uk or by telephoning (0191)5493768 and there will also be some leaflets in the Practice Waiting Rooms.
Healthwatch Sunderland
This is an independent body. It is accountable to its local members and is linked to Healthwatch England with direct links to the Care Quality Commission which will help influence health and social care delivery.
Its main roles are to gather views from local people and support the involvement of local people in the commissioning of local health and social care services. It also provides information and signposting on health and social care to support local people to make informed choices and/or complain about these services. However it does not investigate individual complaints or advocate on behalf of individuals. Service providers have a duty to respond to local Healthwatch reports, in turn Healthwatch Sunderland has the power to enter and view premises where health and social care services are provided. It has a statutory entitlement to a seat on the local Health and Well-being Board and can escalate issues direct to Healthwatch England.
For more information and/or to get involved please contact: www.heathwatchsunderland.com or Email healthwatchsunderland@pcp.uk.net
OR Telephone: 0191 5147145 (office) or Freephone 08000238840 (information and advice) or Write to: Healthwatch Sunderland, 112 High Street West, Sunderland. SR1 1TX
Items for future newsletters
Do you have an old photograph of the area where the Practice is, which you would be willing to allow us to scan and add to our next newsletter or news about its history. Or perhaps you have a favourite recipe you would like to pass on, or a poem. We want to include things which you find interesting but we need you to tell us about them. As always, please pass any items to Reception marked For Attn. PPG. and include your Name and Contact Details. We will always return things to you if you ask us to.
| Recipe for April – Cup Cake
1 cup Dried Mixed Fruit 1 cup Brown Sugar 2 cups Self-Raising Flour 1 cup Milk 1 teaspoon Mixed Spice Mix together and put into greased loaf tin. Bake for 1 hour gas mark 4 or 160 C. Allow to cool. Can be eaten sliced with butter or just as it is. ENJOY
|
|
Inspection Report | The New City Medical Group | December 2013 www.cqc.org.uk 1
Inspection Report
We are the regulator:
Our job is to check whether hospitals, care homes and care
services are meeting essential standards.
The New City Medical Group
The New City Medical Centre, Tatham Street,
Sunderland, SR1 2QB
Tel: 01915675571
Date of Inspection: 14 November 2013 Date of Publication:
December 2013
We inspected the following standards as part of a routine inspection. This is what we
found:
Respecting and involving people who use
services
Met this standard
Care and welfare of people who use services
Met this standard
Cleanliness and infection control
Met this standard
Supporting workers
Met this standard
Assessing and monitoring the quality of service
provision
Met this standard
|
Inspection Report | The New City Medical Group | December 2013 www.cqc.org.uk 2
Details about this location
Registered Provider Dr Sarah Schofield
Registered Manager Dr. Sarah Schofield
Overview of the
service
New City Medical Croup is a General Medical Service
practice with two full time partners. Additional appointments
are provided the Nurse Practitioner and practice nurses. The
surgery is in a purpose built surgery with consulting rooms
on both the ground and first floor. There is a lift to give
access to all areas of the building. It has good access to
public transport and is within walking distance of the centre
of Sunderland.
Type of services Doctors consultation service
Doctors treatment service
Regulated activities Diagnostic and screening procedures
Family planning
Maternity and midwifery services
Surgical procedures
Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
|
Inspection Report | The New City Medical Group | December 2013 www.cqc.org.uk 3
Contents
When you read this report, you may find it useful to read the sections towards the back
called ‘About CQC inspections’ and ‘How we define our judgements’.
Page
Summary of this inspection:
Why we carried out this inspection 4
How we carried out this inspection 4
What people told us and what we found 4
More information about the provider 5
Our judgements for each standard inspected:
Respecting and involving people who use services 6
Care and welfare of people who use services 8
Cleanliness and infection control 10
Supporting workers 12
Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision 14
About CQC Inspections
16
How we define our judgements
17
Glossary of terms we use in this report
19
Contact us
21
|
Inspection Report | The New City Medical Group | December 2013 www.cqc.org.uk 4
Summary of this inspection
Why we carried out this inspection
This was a routine inspection to check that essential standards of quality and safety
referred to on the front page were being met. We sometimes describe this as a scheduled
inspection.
This was an unannounced inspection.
How we carried out this inspection
We looked at the personal care or treatment records of people who use the service,
carried out a visit on 14 November 2013, observed how people were being cared for and
checked how people were cared for at each stage of their treatment and care. We talked
with people who use the service, talked with carers and / or family members, talked with
staff and reviewed information given to us by the provider. We reviewed information sent
to us by commissioners of services, reviewed information sent to us by other authorities,
talked with commissioners of services and talked with other authorities.
What people told us and what we found
We spent time during our visit observing how the practice worked and speaking to
patients, staff and stakeholders. Patients told us they felt their needs were met by the
practice and we saw positive exchanges between patients and staff. One person said,
“They always give me a good service,” Another said “Staff are really nice, including the
receptionists”.
Patients we spoke with told us they could always get an appointment when they needed
one and emergency slots were available if they needed to see a GP or nurse urgently.
One told us the doctors were “Excellent, they always explain what is wrong and what
treatment is available.”
Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure
people’s safety and welfare. We saw the general practitioners followed national guidance
as well as local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) guidelines to make sure they were
following best practice.
We saw the practice was up to date with infection control policies and procedures and
when we spoke with staff they had a clear understanding how to reduce the risk of cross
infection. The surgery was clean and well maintained.
Staff were provided with support, guidance and training to make sure they were able to
carry out their role safely and their performance was monitored to maintain the standards.
The provider had an effective system in place to identify, assess and manage risks to the
health, safety and welfare of people who use the service and others.
You can see our judgements on the front page of this report.
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More information about the provider
Please see our website www.cqc.org.uk for more information, including our most recent
judgements against the essential standards. You can contact us using the telephone
number on the back of the report if you have additional questions.
There is a glossary at the back of this report which has definitions for words and phrases
we use in the report.
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Our judgements for each standard inspected
Respecting and involving people who use services
Met this standard
People should be treated with respect, involved in discussions about their care
and treatment and able to influence how the service is run
Our judgement
The provider was meeting this standard.
People’s views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was
provided and delivered in relation to their care.
Reasons for our judgement
The practice manager confirmed that the information about the practice was on the NHS
choices website which also included a variety of patient information such as appointment
times and the specialist clinics and support available.
People were given information both about the practice and general health issues. We saw
a range of general health information and practice publicity in the waiting room on the
ground floor and in the small waiting room on the first floor. The small area on the first floor
close to the consulting rooms had a large range of targeted practice leaflets and
information which were season and theme specific, for example advice regarding flu
vaccines.
The practice staff were aware of the availability and access to the interpreting service,
should this be needed, and information was available to tell staff how to access it. The
practice manager was aware of the constraints for privacy in the waiting room and so they
had made available a booth type reception desk next to the main desk. She also gave
examples of private spaces which would be used where patients wanted to discuss
matters in private.
The surgery had a chaperone policy by which the practice nurse would act as chaperone,
however if not available the reception staff would provide the role. The availability of a
chaperone was made known to the patients through the practice leaflet and a notice in the
waiting area.
We saw that bookable appointments for all clinicians were generally available within 24
hours which suggested people could access the service. Patients told us they had not
experienced any problems getting appointments when they needed one. Urgent
appointments were also made available as necessary. Appointments were made available
at different times of day and the practice operated evening surgeries until 6pm Monday to
Friday.
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The practice used “Choose and Book”. The information we looked at confirmed that
patients were routinely given the choice of hospitals, although we were told most would
choose the local hospitals or take their advice regarding regional services.
The practice manager showed us leaflets, publicity and letters which the practice used as
part of the ‘Choose Well’ scheme to raise awareness of different NHS services and to
encourage patients to make the most appropriate use of these.
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Care and welfare of people who use services
Met this standard
People should get safe and appropriate care that meets their needs and supports
their rights
Our judgement
The provider was meeting this standard.
Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure
people’s safety and welfare.
Reasons for our judgement
Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure
people’s safety and welfare. We saw that the general practitioner followed national
guidance as well as local Clinical Commissioning Group guidelines for areas of care such
as hernia, urinary incontinence and rectal issues to ensure appropriate referrals. The
surgery used the national systems for patient information leaflets.
We spoke with six patients and without exception, they told us they were satisfied with the
standard of care they received at the practice. One person said, “I have always seen Dr
Partington, but the one I have seen recently is really good as well” and another said “I had
to be referred to the hospital and they sorted it out for me, I was really happy, all staff are
really good”.
Patients we spoke with said their appointments were sometimes delayed but never for
very long and that they were kept informed of any delay. They told us they were given the
time they needed with the doctor to discuss their health issues or concerns. We observed
people using the touch screen technology to register their arrival in the practice; the usual
reception desk checking in system was also available.
The practice had equipment for managing emergencies with medication and other
resuscitation equipment. All items including drugs were within the expiry date and regular
equipment checks were undertaken. We saw all the staff had access to the information
they needed about clinical protocols on line.
The computer system included an alert which appeared on the screen when a patient is
seen, for example people on special medication or one who is overdue for a monitoring
visit for a chronic condition. Also children who are on an “at risk register” are identified in
the “problem page” of the patient computerised record.
We looked at how the surgery managed certain conditions, including asthma, and
diabetes. We saw clear treatment plans were in place for people, dependent on the
medical condition and these were managed by the particular member of staff identified.
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The administration staff had specific roles in the management of chronic disease
management and this was overseen by the practice manager.
The practice had recently achieved the Palliative Care award and had reviewed the way
they met the needs of people requiring this service including their medication and clinical
information about their care. We were told about specific meetings held with members of
the primary health care team these included palliative care meetings and meetings
regarding children at risk.
Health promotion information, such as diet and exercise advice was available in the
waiting room on the electronic display board; there was also a large selection of pamphlets
and leaflets in the waiting room. One patient told us, “They make sure we have the right
information for us to choose a healthy lifestyle”.
The doctor and nursing staff continued to maintain their skills and competencies as part of
their on-going professional registration. This is checked by the practice manager to ensure
that the registration remains current.
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Cleanliness and infection control
Met this standard
People should be cared for in a clean environment and protected from the risk of
infection
Our judgement
The provider was meeting this standard.
People were protected from the risk of infection because appropriate guidance had been
followed and people were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment.
Reasons for our judgement
We spent time with the staff on duty during the visit and asked them about their
understanding of how they assessed the risk, detected, prevented and controlled the
spread of health care associated infections.
We spoke with the Nurse Practitioner who took responsibility for infection control. She told
us that disposable equipment was used for specific clinical procedures such as cervical
smears. We saw how this equipment was stored and managed, for example aprons and
disposable gloves available in all of the clinical areas. She told us disposable items were
used and disposed of in line with best practice guidelines. There was a system for labelling
and disposing of clinical waste which was carried out by the contractor responsible for
removal of the waste.
We saw there were separate hand wash sinks available for people to clean their hands.
Not all of the hand washing areas had advice displayed to give people appropriate
guidance on good hand wash technique. We were told by the practice manager that this
had been addressed following our visit. Hand wash gel was available from dispensers in
the entrance to the clinical areas. This meant that patients and staff were being support to
maintain good hand hygiene practices.
The clinical areas were clean, tidy and well organised. We saw effective systems in place
to ensure that unused (clean) and used (dirty) equipment were stored appropriately. We
reviewed files which contained guidance to support staff to ensure they were following
good practice guidelines, for example personal protective equipment such as gloves.
We saw that the practice had a domestic cleaner employed directly by the practice. This
meant they could monitor the standards and make any amendments to the cleaning
schedule if necessary. The practice was clean and well maintained.
We spoke with several patients during or after the inspection and they told us they were
happy with the standard of cleanliness. Comments included: “The surgery is clean and
well organised” and “I’ve never given it a thought which probably means it’s always clean.”
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Most of the furnishings and floor coverings in the surgery, including those fitted in the
consulting rooms were washable. We noted the use of some pillows used on the
examination couches needed new covers to make them water proof. Plans were in place
to address these issues.
A policy, with the relevant contact details was available to enable the staff to respond
appropriately in the event of an outbreak of a communicable disease. An infection control
policy was also in place which was reviewed annually.
There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.
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Supporting workers
Met this standard
Staff should be properly trained and supervised, and have the chance to develop
and improve their skills
Our judgement
The provider was meeting this standard.
People were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely
and to an appropriate standard.
Reasons for our judgement
The practice manager was responsible for ensuring all staff were up to date with the
training they needed to carry out their role. She did not have an overview of all of the
mandatory training staff required to carry out their role. The provider may find it useful to
note that introducing this would give her the opportunity to identify what staff training to
organise and which staff needed to be updated.
We spoke with the Nurse Practitioner who showed us the records of the training she had
completed. She had undertaken all of the training she required to carry out her role safely
and maintained her competence by undertaking updates of the training in line with relevant
guidance. For example she had recently attended updates on cervical screening and
holiday vaccinations. She had also identified, as part of her professional development, that
she would like to develop her knowledge in sexual heath so that she could provide a more
extensive service to the patients in the practice. This training had recently been arranged.
We reviewed the training with the practice manager and found that some additional
training, or updates of the training was required. A receptionist told us she had received
the training she needed to carry out her role, for example read code training and training
for the new IT system. She also told us she had received training in first aid and fire
prevention and evacuation. Another receptionist confirmed she had also had received the
mandatory training and we saw their certificates which they held in their own training
records.
We saw records which showed that staff had received training in safeguarding, health and
safety and resuscitation, however there were gaps in statutory staff training for fire training
and adult protection training. Also training in dealing with complaints would have been
helpful for staff. The practice manager confirmed following the visit that training had been
identified and arranged for those staff who needed updates. The provider may find it useful
to note that this training must be maintained to make sure staff were safe and to maintain
the safety of others.
We spoke with the doctor who told us they maintained their own training in line with the
registration requirements. We checked the registration status of the doctors working in the
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practice, they were appropriately licensed. This means that they were subject to
revalidation of their ability to practice which included maintaining their training and having
regular appraisals.
The staff we spoke with told us they had annual appraisals with the practice manager we
saw the records of these and they were up to date. The new practice manager had carried
out an appraisal with each of the staff in 2013. When we spoke with the staff they told us
these gave them an opportunity to their further training and development needs. Staff told
us they could speak with the practice manager and the doctors if they had any concerns or
they thought things could be done differently or better.
The staff we spoke to said they felt supported to carry out their role. For example, the
practice nurse told us she could attend practice nurse groups locally and received informal
clinical support from the doctor and practice nurses who were co-located in the health
centre. She also told us she could speak to other nurses in the health centre and that the
doctor was “Very approachable”.
We noted there were sufficient numbers of staff on the day, which was the normal staffing
complement, to provide effective levels of support and care to the patients using the
service which meant that the staff could carry out their role effectively.
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Assessing and monitoring the quality of service
provision
Met this standard
The service should have quality checking systems to manage risks and assure
the health, welfare and safety of people who receive care
Our judgement
The provider was meeting this standard.
The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service
that people receive.
Reasons for our judgement
We looked at the way the practice made sure patients received safe quality care,
treatment and support, due to effective decision making and the management of risk to
their health welfare and safety.
Records of significant events were kept in line with the practice policies and they contained
a date when they had been reviewed. All incidents were reported on the ‘Datax’ database.
For example there was an event in which the security of the medication cupboard had
been compromised. Action was taken immediately and a plan was put in place to prevent it
reoccurring.
During the visit we saw patient records stored in unlocked filing cabinets (and some on top
in open boxes) in a room which was not locked or secured. They could be accessed by
people using a meeting room and an adjoining room used by patients during surgery
times. The practice manager told us that these rooms were never accessed by people
unless accompanied by a member of staff but agreed that this could not be guaranteed as
they were on a shared corridor. We were given evidence following the visit that this had
been addressed by the addition of key pad locks to these rooms. This meant that patient
records could be kept safe and patient confidentiality could be ensured.
The surgery had a first aid book and risk and Incident forms, a copy of these would be sent
to clinical commissioning group as necessary and one copy kept on file at the practice.
The practice manager told us she reviewed the surgery risk assessments and was aware
of the elements required to ensure it was complete and up to date.
We looked at the quality and outcome framework (QOF) GP practice results. This showed
the practice was continuing to review its activity for chronic disease management, for
example, asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and mental health.
There was a practice complaints procedure which was implemented by the practice
manager. She told us she would handle any concerns, as was identified in the practice
leaflet.
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The practice manager described the practice system for dealing with mail and read coding,
which is detailed clinical coding of multiple patient information, such as social
circumstances, clinical signs, laboratory tests and results, diagnosis etc. This showed that
at each stage of the process there was an audit trail. The secretaries also had
responsibility of reviewing new patient records and adding relevant read codes.
The practice held formal internal meetings which meant that they kept staff up to date with
relevant information during these meetings and during informal discussions. There were
also weekly clinical meetings. This meant staff were receiving the information they
required to give them the opportunity to participate in the running of the practice and
discuss clinical issues.
The following audits had been carried out recently: waiting times for cancer patients,
erectile disfunction management and referrals and statin prescribing patterns.
The practice had a patient participation (PPI) group arranged and led by the practice
manager. We saw that recent changes had been made to the patient registration form
which included information about the PPI group and an invitation to take part. There was
also a practice newsletter which was available in the waiting rooms and was going to be
added to the website.
There was an identified safeguarding lead and all staff we spoke with were aware of this.
They confirmed they had received training at the relevant level for their role although
updates were needed.
There was an up to date fire plan and evacuation procedure and the practice had a
business continuity plan. The provider had an effective system in place to identify, assess
and manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of people using the service and others.
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About CQC inspections
We are the regulator of health and social care in England.
All providers of regulated health and social care services have a legal responsibility to
make sure they are meeting essential standards of quality and safety. These are the
standards everyone should be able to expect when they receive care.
The essential standards are described in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated
Activities) Regulations 2010 and the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations
2009. We regulate against these standards, which we sometimes describe as “government
standards”.
We carry out unannounced inspections of all care homes, acute hospitals and domiciliary
care services in England at least once a year to judge whether or not the essential
standards are being met. We carry out inspections of other services less often. All of our
inspections are unannounced unless there is a good reason to let the provider know we
are coming.
There are 16 essential standards that relate most directly to the quality and safety of care
and these are grouped into five key areas. When we inspect we could check all or part of
any of the 16 standards at any time depending on the individual circumstances of the
service. Because of this we often check different standards at different times.
When we inspect, we always visit and we do things like observe how people are cared for,
and we talk to people who use the service, to their carers and to staff. We also review
information we have gathered about the provider, check the service’s records and check
whether the right systems and processes are in place.
We focus on whether or not the provider is meeting the standards and we are guided by
whether people are experiencing the outcomes they should be able to expect when the
standards are being met. By outcomes we mean the impact care has on the health, safety
and welfare of people who use the service, and the experience they have whilst receiving
it.
Our inspectors judge if any action is required by the provider of the service to improve the
standard of care being provided. Where providers are non-compliant with the regulations,
we take enforcement action against them. If we require a service to take action, or if we
take enforcement action, we re-inspect it before its next routine inspection was due. This
could mean we re-inspect a service several times in one year. We also might decide to reinspect
a service if new concerns emerge about it before the next routine inspection.
In between inspections we continually monitor information we have about providers. The
information comes from the public, the provider, other organisations, and from care
workers.
You can tell us about your experience of this provider on our website.
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How we define our judgements
The following pages show our findings and regulatory judgement for each essential
standard or part of the standard that we inspected. Our judgements are based on the
ongoing review and analysis of the information gathered by CQC about this provider and
the evidence collected during this inspection.
We reach one of the following judgements for each essential standard inspected.
Met this standard
This means that the standard was being met in that the
provider was compliant with the regulation. If we find that
standards were met, we take no regulatory action but we
may make comments that may be useful to the provider and
to the public about minor improvements that could be made.
Action needed
This means that the standard was not being met in that the
provider was non-compliant with the regulation.
We may have set a compliance action requiring the provider
to produce a report setting out how and by when changes
will be made to make sure they comply with the standard.
We monitor the implementation of action plans in these
reports and, if necessary, take further action.
We may have identified a breach of a regulation which is
more serious, and we will make sure action is taken. We will
report on this when it is complete.
Enforcement
action taken
If the breach of the regulation was more serious, or there
have been several or continual breaches, we have a range of
actions we take using the criminal and/or civil procedures in
the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and relevant
regulations. These enforcement powers include issuing a
warning notice; restricting or suspending the services a
provider can offer, or the number of people it can care for;
issuing fines and formal cautions; in extreme cases,
cancelling a provider or managers registration or prosecuting
a manager or provider. These enforcement powers are set
out in law and mean that we can take swift, targeted action
where services are failing people.
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How we define our judgements (continued)
Where we find non-compliance with a regulation (or part of a regulation), we state which
part of the regulation has been breached. Only where there is non compliance with one or
more of Regulations 9-24 of the Regulated Activity Regulations, will our report include a
judgement about the level of impact on people who use the service (and others, if
appropriate to the regulation). This could be a minor, moderate or major impact.
Minor impact –
people who use the service experienced poor care that had an impact on
their health, safety or welfare or there was a risk of this happening. The impact was not
significant and the matter could be managed or resolved quickly.
Moderate impact –
people who use the service experienced poor care that had a
significant effect on their health, safety or welfare or there was a risk of this happening.
The matter may need to be resolved quickly.
Major impact –
people who use the service experienced poor care that had a serious
current or long term impact on their health, safety and welfare, or there was a risk of this
happening. The matter needs to be resolved quickly
We decide the most appropriate action to take to ensure that the necessary changes are
made. We always follow up to check whether action has been taken to meet the
standards.
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Glossary of terms we use in this report
Essential standard
The essential standards of quality and safety are described in our
Guidance about
compliance: Essential standards of quality and safety
. They consist of a significant number
of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 and the
Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009. These regulations describe the
essential standards of quality and safety that people who use health and adult social care
services have a right to expect. A full list of the standards can be found within the
Guidance about compliance
. The 16 essential standards are:
Respecting and involving people who use services – Outcome 1 (Regulation 17)
Consent to care and treatment – Outcome 2 (Regulation 18)
Care and welfare of people who use services – Outcome 4 (Regulation 9)
Meeting Nutritional Needs – Outcome 5 (Regulation 14)
Cooperating with other providers – Outcome 6 (Regulation 24)
Safeguarding people who use services from abuse – Outcome 7 (Regulation 11)
Cleanliness and infection control – Outcome 8 (Regulation 12)
Management of medicines – Outcome 9 (Regulation 13)
Safety and suitability of premises – Outcome 10 (Regulation 15)
Safety, availability and suitability of equipment – Outcome 11 (Regulation 16)
Requirements relating to workers – Outcome 12 (Regulation 21)
Staffing – Outcome 13 (Regulation 22)
Supporting Staff – Outcome 14 (Regulation 23)
Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision – Outcome 16 (Regulation 10)
Complaints – Outcome 17 (Regulation 19)
Records – Outcome 21 (Regulation 20)
Regulated activity
These are prescribed activities related to care and treatment that require registration with
CQC. These are set out in legislation, and reflect the services provided.
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Glossary of terms we use in this report (continued)
(Registered) Provider
There are several legal terms relating to the providers of services. These include
registered person, service provider and registered manager. The term ‘provider’ means
anyone with a legal responsibility for ensuring that the requirements of the law are carried
out. On our website we often refer to providers as a ‘service’.
Regulations
We regulate against the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities)
Regulations 2010 and the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009.
Responsive inspection
This is carried out at any time in relation to identified concerns.
Routine inspection
This is planned and could occur at any time. We sometimes describe this as a scheduled
inspection.
Themed inspection
This is targeted to look at specific standards, sectors or types of care.
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Contact us
Phone: 03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Write to us
at:
Care Quality Commission
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Website: www.cqc.org.uk
Copyright Copyright © (2011) Care Quality Commission (CQC). This publication may
be reproduced in whole or in part, free of charge, in any format or medium provided
that it is not used for commercial gain. This consent is subject to the material being
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title and date of publication of the document specified.