Archived: Grove Road Surgery

Updated 22 June 2016

Grove Road Surgery is situated at 59–63 Grove Road Eastbourne East Sussex, BN21 4TX. There is no parking at the practice itself for patients although there are two on street disabled bays. Parking is available in the surrounding residential areas.

The practice operates under a General Medical Services Contract and offers diagnostic and screening procedures, treatment of disease, disorder or injury, minor surgical procedures, maternity and midwifery services and additional directed enhanced services for example - Influenza and

Pneumococcal Immunisations and Rotavirus and

Shingles immunisation.

• There are four GP partners. Two are male and two are female. There is one salaried GP (male). The practice is a training practice and there is currently one trainee GP (registrar) and one newly qualified doctor gaining experience of general practice.

• There are three practice nurses and one health care assistant. There are also two part time paramedic practitioners.

• The practice team includes a practice manager, a reception manager and a team of administrators and receptionists.

The practice is open between 8am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm Monday to Friday. Patients are able to telephone the surgery between the hours of 8am and 6.30pm to access healthcare.

Appointments with a GP are offered from 8.20am and with nurses from 8am. The GPs are flexible in accommodating patients outside clinical hours based on the patient’s individual needs.

The practice operated a same day appointment system. Patients requiring a morning appointment were asked to telephone at 8am and patients requiring an afternoon appointment were asked to telephone at 2.15pm. Non urgent appointments could be booked up to two weeks in advance.

Extended hours appointments are offered every Saturday morning between 8am and 11.45am.

Patients requiring health care when the surgery is closed are asked to contact the NHS 111 service.

The practice population is generally older than the UK average. 54% of the total practice population is over 65 years of age. 65% of the practice population has a long standing health condition and 61 % are either working or in full time education.

Updated 22 June 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Grove Road Surgery on 12 April 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Ensure that cleaning schedules specify and include desk top equipment.

• Ensure that a system is implemented to record cleaning of specialist equipment.

• Ensure that a system of stock management is implemented in relation to sterile supplies.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 22 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions.

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.
• The percentage of patients with diabetes, on the register, whose last measured total cholesterol (measured within the preceding 12 months) was 5 mmol/l or less (01/04/2014 to 31/03/2015) was 89.% compared to the national average of 81%
• The percentage of patients on the diabetes register, with a record of a foot examination and risk classification within the preceding 12 months (01/04/2014 to 31/03/2015) was 91% compared to the national average of 88%.
• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.
• All these patients had a named GP and a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met. For those patients with the most complex needs, the named GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

Updated 22 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people.

• There were systems in place to identify and follow up children living in disadvantaged circumstances and who were at risk, for example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances. Immunisation rates were comparable to local and national averages for all standard childhood immunisations.
• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals, and we saw evidence to confirm this.
• The percentage of women aged 25-64 whose notes recorded that a cervical screening test had been performed in the preceding 5 years was 85% compared to the national average of 82%.
• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.
• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives and health visitors.

Updated 22 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population.

• The practice was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits, extended and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• The practice had employed two paramedic practitioners to provide enhanced care to older and vulnerable patients in their own homes.

Updated 22 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students).

• The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care.
• The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.
• The practice offered telephone appointments and text reminders for appointments.
• The practice offered flexible appointment times for those patients who were unable to attend during the usual clinic times.

Updated 22 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

• 79% of patients diagnosed with dementia had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which was comparable to the national average.
• The percentage of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who had had a comprehensive, agreed care plan documented in their record, in the preceding 12 months (01/04/2014 to 31/03/2015) was 92% compared to the national average of 88%.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.
• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients with dementia.
• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• The practice had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.
• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

Updated 22 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability.
• The practice offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.
• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.
• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• The practice had employed two paramedic practitioners to provide enhanced care for vulnerable and older patients in their own homes.
• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding information sharing, documentation of safeguarding concerns and how to contact relevant agencies in normal working hours and out of hours.