Quality & Compliance

Wyre Forest Health Partnership Quality Improvement Activity:We aim to instil a culture of continuous quality improvement in all levels of our organisation. All our sites perform regular audits on the services that we provide as well as audits on the many clinical conditions that we treat to ensure that we are offering the best level of service possible. In addition we hold monthly development meetings where the senior leadership team develop improved clinical and other safety processes. Board Level:The Board meet regularly to discuss the WFHP overall performance and review the organisation’s data on quality improvement activities. The basis for the discussion for quality is a monthly Quality and Performance report detailing current status and actions are documented and acted on. In addition, the board frequently benchmark performance for all our enhanced services by site and use this to assist in site specific improvements.  The Board also receives on a monthly basis a report from the Chief Executive Officer and the Finance Director.We have a wealth of knowledge about our sites including data on performance and financial data, which we use when board members meet the site partners and site manager to discuss performance and areas for improvement to mutually agree a site development plan for the next 12 months.Site Level:We currently hold monthly meetings with all staff in each site where we discuss current performance against our targets. Successes are celebrated and staff brainstorm on how we can improve the services to our patients. In addition, site managers and leads received a monthly report outlining their service performance on QOF and Enhanced Services to ensure that they are a step ahead of their yearly service commitments. Staff are encouraged to submit ideas for service improvement. Those ideas taken up are rewarded with a gift voucher.Team Level:Regular team meetings are held with our doctors and nurses where issues are discussed and in addition we invite experts to educational meetings to ensure continuously improvement. Peer group staff away days are held regularly throughout the year for educational and update purposes.

Confidentiality And Access To Patient InformationAny information that the doctor holds about you is very strictly confidential. Your doctor will not divulge ANY information about you to ANYONE, including your employer, insurance company or relative, without your written permission.  If you are referred to another doctor or health professional at the hospital or within the practice then necessary information will go with the referral and it is assumed that you agree with this if you have agreed to the referral.  If you don’t, you must say so to your doctor.  ALL health professionals and staff within the practice are bound by the rule of confidentiality. If you move to another practice your written and electronic records are transferred automatically to your new practice after you have registered with it. There may be certain unusual circumstances where the doctor can be obliged to break the confidentiality rule, for instance if the patient is mentally incapacitated, or if it is in the interest of public safety, or if he or she is required by a court of law to do so.WFHP Patient Privacy PolicyYour Personal DataWe take your personal data extremely seriously and take every precaution to ensure it is safe and secure. When you attend an appointment or contact the surgery you may be asked to confirm your contact details with a receptionist or clinician. This is to ensure that we have your correct details such as address, mobile number and email address associated with your clinical record; to enable us to communicate with you about your health in a quick, efficient and secure manner. Our policy is that normally every young person 14 and above has their own mobile number on their records for confidentiality reasons. If this applies to you or a family member, please contact the surgery to make the necessary changes.New Shared Care Record delivering better, safer care for all our patientsWe wanted to let you know that we are finally connecting our systems to offer joined-up health and care records, which will enable better, safer care and treatment for all our patients.As a GP, it is difficult to provide joined-up care with so many separate systems for handling patient information. These were not connected, meaning that you often had to repeat your story each time you received care at a different organisation, or with a different health professional. The Shared Care Record means up-to-date records will be immediately available to professionals caring for you as a patient, when you need direct care.It will mean, for instance, a doctor in a hospital, or a paramedic who attends a 999 call will be able to confidentially access the same crucial information that we can at the Practice, such as details of any allergies and current medications, bringing potentially life-saving benefits.Robust security measures are in place to protect your health information and all staff must follow the law on keeping your information confidential.The Shared Care Record is not the same as the General Practice Data for Planning and Research Directions (GPDPR), which is a national NHS Digital initiative to use GP practice data for research and planning purposes.The Shared Care Record is a local initiative to share information with organisations directly involved in your care to ensure that you receive prompt and appropriate treatment when you need it.For more information, please visit: Herefordshire and Worcestershire ccg – Shared Care Record.

The Care Quality Commission makes sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care. Their role is to register care providers; monitor, inspect and rate services; protect people who use services; and publish their views on major quality issues in health and social care.For NHS GP practices, there is a publication of ratings for each location, at both key question and population group level.  Ratings are awarded on a four-point scale; ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’; ‘Requires Improvement’, or ‘Inadequate’.The inspection takes a day and involves a number of clinical, site manager and staff discussions with the Care Quality Commission inspectors. They look at the contribution made by both the Site based team as well as the WFHP wide team. 

Wyre Forest Health Partnership (WFHP) has a strong focus on governance and accountability. WFHP is governed by a Board.  The Board has delegated authority from the Partnership to run the business. This authority is strengthened by the 3 Away Days held per annum for the 30 partners of the business. Board meets on a monthly basis to discuss progress against the annual strategic plan.  Board Members have wide ranging NHS management experience including at ICS level. Board meetings have standing agenda items including CEO report, Finance report and Quality and Risk report. The Quality and Risk report is informed by a centralised Management Information data suite, site reports and CCG provided information. The aim is to ensure that Board is fully informed of performance at all sites, and across the organisation as a whole. The board also has a PA  to support it in its work. Partners receive a monthly newsletter which includes a Board update, although Board minutes are also produced.The Board is also supported by a Finance Committee, which is made up of the lead partner from WFHP’s accountancy firm Ballards LLP, the GP Finance lead Dr Brodie, Dr Tucker and Clare Nock, CEO. A good understanding of the Partnership’s financial position, planning and ambition is crucial; this committee meets monthly to scrutinise the financial reports in additional depth in advance of Board, to define Partnership financial process and to  make recommendation as to financial policies and decisions.Through the CEO, the Board delegates delivery of the Strategic Plan, to the Head Office team. This in turn is supported by the WFHP central team which delivers IT, data management & reporting and nurse management.

PrinciplesThe Practice:- Provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and has a duty to respect their human rights.- Promotes equality through the service, providing and to paying particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.- Provides access to services based on clinical need, not on an individual’s ability to pay.- Aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism, providing safe and effective high-quality care focused on patient experience.- Ensures that it is effectively lead and managed and its staff receive relevant education, training and development.- Its services reflect the needs and preferences of patients, their families and carers who will be involved in and consulted on all decisions about their care and treatment.- Ensures that it works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population.- Is accountable to the public, communities and patients that it serves.- Supports staff when they raise concerns about the service by ensuring their concerns are fully investigated and that there is someone independent, outside of their team, to speak to.Patient RightsPatients have the right:- To receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.- To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.- To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary.- In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS.- Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability (including learning disability or mental illness) or age.- To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible.- To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.- To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights.- To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.- To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing.- To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.- To access to their own health records.- To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.- To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice.- To make choices about their NHS care and to information to support these choices.- To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this.- To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.- To have any complaint you make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.- To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body.- To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment.Patient Responsibilities- To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s, good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it.- To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution.- To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status.- To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time.- To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their clinician if they find this difficult.- To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.- To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation.- To give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had.Practice Staff RightsPractice Staff have the right:- To a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives;- To have a fair pay and contract framework;- To be involved and represented in the workplace;- To have healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence;- To be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination; and- To raise an internal grievance and if necessary seek redress, where it is felt that a right has not been upheld;- To raise any concern with their employer, whether it is about safety, malpractice or other risk, in the public interest, without suffering any detriment.NHS Pledge to Staff MembersThe NHS Commits:- To provide all staff with clear roles and responsibilities and rewarding jobs for teams and individuals that make a difference to patients, their families and carers and communities;- To provide all staff with personal development, access to appropriate training for their jobs and line management support to succeed;- To provide support and opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety;- To engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide, individually, through representative organisations and through local partnership working arrangements. All staff will be empowered to put forward ways to deliver better and safer services for patients and their families;- To support all staff in raising concerns at the earliest reasonable opportunity about safety, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, responding to and, where necessary, investigating the concerns raised and acting consistently with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 199Source: The NHS Constitution (March 2013)

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (i.e. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice. The average pay for GPs working in Wyre Forest Health Partnership in the last financial year was £63,880 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 19 full time GPs, 35 part time GPs and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for longer than six months.