Healthy state of treatment out-of-hours

Lindley Medical Practice, based at Oldham's Integrated Care Centre, was rated as good by the CQC

AN OUT-OF-HOURS service which operates in Oldham has been rated as 'good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors visited four out-of-hours treatment centres run by gtd healthcare, which manages the Oldham walk-in centre at Lindley Medical Practice, to provide the overall 'good' rating.

gtd healthcare was hailed for its "clear vision, strategy and leadership structure" as well as treating patients with "compassion, dignity and respect."

The North-West not-for-profit care provider manages 11 GP practices across Greater Manchester, as well as three walk-in centres: City Health Centre, Lindley Medical Practice walk-in centre based at Oldham's Integrated Care Centre, and Ashton GP Service Walk-in Centre.

While safety, effectiveness, care and responsiveness were rated as Good by the CQC, the quality of leadership was said to 'require improvement'.

gtd healthcare acknowledged there were some areas for improvement, including easy access to policies and procedures, reviewing how information is shared about lead roles and staff participation in clinical audits.

However they believed "a number of these were being delivered" and said work was underway to make the necessary changes.

Chief executive David Beckett said: "The report emphasises our commitment to patient safety and patient care, which is a fundamental part of all our activity and at the core of our values.

"This demonstrates that we have a robust infrastructure in place that ensures consistency and continuity across the out-of-hours service.

"Praise for our clear leadership structure has led to staff feeling respected, valued and supported by management.

"Also, I am really pleased that our clinical staff, who work extremely hard, have been recognised for their knowledge and skills to delivering effective treatment and services."

The CQC visited Ashton GP Service, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Litherland Treatment Centre and Southport District General Hospital in February this year before releasing its latest report.

As part of the inspection, 70 CQC comment cards were received from across six sites, including the Royal Oldham Hospital, of which 67 were positive about the standard of care.

Patients praised the understanding and professionalism of GPs and nursing staff and said they were satisfied with the availability and time-lines of the appointments.

The CQC found there was a focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels within the service.

David Beckett said: "I would like to extend my thanks to all staff who not only met with the CQC inspection team but who work extremely hard and often under pressure within the out-of-hours team.

"Staff commitment, dedication and drive to provide the best possible service for patients has enabled the organisation to receive this 'good' rating."