Larkside Practice

Updated 12 July 2016

Larkside Practice provides a range of primary medical services to the residents of Luton. The practice was established in the 1930s and has been at its current purpose built location of Churchfield Medical Centre, 322 Crawley Green Road, Luton, LU2 9SB since 2006.

The practice population is ethnically diverse and covers all ages with a slightly higher than average number of patients aged 0-19 years and 30-54 years. National data indicates the area is one of mid deprivation. The practice has approximately 6700 patients with services provided under a general medical services (GMS) contract, a nationally agreed contract.

There are three GP partners, two male and one female. The nursing team consists of an advanced prescribing nurse, two practice nurses and a health care assistant, all female. There are also a number of reception and administrative staff led by a practice manager and deputy practice manager.

The practice is open from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and offers extended opening hours from 7am to 8am and 6.30pm to 7.30pm on Mondays.

When the practice is closed out of hours services are provided by Care UK and can be accessed via the NHS 111 service.

Updated 12 July 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Larkside Practice on 24 March 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 the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were happy with the care they received and thought staff were friendly, helpful and caring. Patients commented that they felt they had enough time with the GPs and they were involved in their care and treatment options.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said there was sometimes a delay in making an appointment with a GP of choice but urgent appointments were 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.

We saw one area of outstanding practice:

• The practice provided services to homeless and hard to reach people by working, once a week, with a Luton based charity called New Opportunities And Horizons (NOAH) that offered support to people struggling against homelessness and exclusion. They saw patients living rough on the street that needed to see a GP and who may need referral to secondary care.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

• Carry out regular fire drills.

• Keep documentation of the monthly checks of the oxygen cylinders.

• Display notices in the practice to advise chaperones are available.

• Continue to monitor patient feedback regarding access to services.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 12 July 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.

• Performance for diabetes related indicators was above the CCG and national average. The practice achieved 94% of available points compared to the CCG average of 85% and the national average of 89%.

• 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 12 July 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 with others in the local area for all standard childhood immunisations.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 80%, which was comparable to the CCG average of 80% and 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 12 July 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 and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• Annual health checks were available for patients over the age of 75 years.

• The practice worked with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure elderly patients who were housebound had regular contact with a health care professional.

Updated 12 July 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.

• Early morning and evening appointments were available on Mondays.

• Telephone consultations were available.

Updated 12 July 2016

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

• 100% of patients diagnosed with dementia who had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which is comparable to the national average/ worse than the national average.

• Performance for mental health related indicators was comparable to the CCG and national average. The practice achieved 95% of available points, compared to the CCG average of 91% and the national average of 93%.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people 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 12 July 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 multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.

• The practice informed vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• 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.

• The practice provided services to homeless and hard to reach people by working, once a week, with a Luton based charity called New Opportunities And Horizons (NOAH) that offered support to people struggling against homelessness and exclusion. They saw patients living rough on the street that needed to see a GP and who may need referral to secondary care.