North Camp Surgery

Updated 20 June 2017

North Camp Surgery, located at 2 Queens Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 6DH, is a converted dwelling that was extensively extended in 2001. The practice is located on the outskirts of Farnborough. The practice covers a diverse community incorporating a large proportion of ethnic minorities, including people of Nepalese decent. Within the area there are pockets of deprivation. A number of people working for the armed forces are registered with the practice. The practice is on the ground floor of the building with disabled access.

The provider of the practice became a new GP partnership on 1st April 2016 and now has around 5,000 patients and operates under a personal medical services (PMS) agreement.

Care and treatment is provided by three GPs, comprising of two female partners, and a salaried female GP. There is an established practice manager and the practice had recently employed new administration and reception staff. The practice now has two practice nurses, one health care assistant and is supported by seven receptionists, secretaries and administrators.

The practice offers appointments with GPs or nurses from 08.30am to 6.00pm Mondays to Fridays and extended hours appointments are available on Tuesdays from 6.30pm to 7.30pm and available on one Saturday in the month. Book-on-the-day appointments were available on a first come basis. Patients could ring from 8.00am for morning appointments. The practice also provides telephone consultations. GP surgeries run Monday to Friday from 9.00am until midday and from 2.30pm until 6.00pm. The practice has two telephone lines which helped to make it easier for patients to contact the practice. The practice also provides home visits for patients unable to attend the practice. Patients were requested to telephone the practice before 11.00 am to arrange a visit.

Out of Hours urgent medical care was provided via the NHS 111 service when the practice was closed.

Updated 20 June 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at North Camp Surgery on 25 April 2017. 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 a system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise many risks to patient safety however there were areas that could be improved upon.
• Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Results from the national GP patient survey showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients we spoke with 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 the requirements of the duty of candour. Examples we reviewed showed the practice complied with these requirements.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are:

Complete health and safety risk assessments and actions such as for fire safety and ensure the landlord had a certificate of electrical installation inspection by a competent person.

Ensure governance systems are effective such as for the recording of water temperatures to minimise the risk of infection from legionella.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 20 June 2017

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

• Nursing staff had lead roles in long-term disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.
• The practice followed up on patients with long-term conditions discharged from hospital and ensured that their care plans were updated to reflect any additional needs.
• There were emergency processes for patients with long-term conditions who experienced a sudden deterioration in health.
• All these patients had a named GP and there was a system to recall patients for 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.
• The practice diabetic specialist nurse was in the process of organising diabetic forums for patients.

Updated 20 June 2017

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

• From the sample of documented examples we reviewed, we found there were systems 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 accident and emergency (A&E) attendances.
• Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.
• Patients told us on the day of inspection, that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

• The practice worked with midwives and health visitors to support this population group. For example, in the provision of ante-natal, post-natal and child health surveillance clinics.

Updated 20 June 2017

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

• Staff were able to recognise the signs of abuse in older patients and knew how to escalate any concerns.
• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older patients in its population.
• The practice was responsive to the needs of older patients, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.
• The practice identified at an early stage of care and treatment of older patients who may need palliative care as they were approaching the end of life. It involved older patients in planning and making decisions about their care, including their end of life care.
• The practice followed up on older patients discharged from hospital and ensured that their care plans were updated to reflect any extra needs.

• Where older patients had health and care complex needs, the practice shared summary care records with local care services. For example, GP’s follow up any unplanned hospital admissions calling the patient within 24 hours of discharge.
• Older patients were provided with health promotional advice and support to help them to maintain their health and independence for as long as possible. For example, GP’s book in appointments for older patients whilst they are in the consultation if they would like to follow them up.
• The practice offers flexible appointments for carers.

Updated 20 June 2017

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

• The needs of these populations had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care, for example, extended opening hours and Saturday appointments.
• 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.

Updated 20 June 2017

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

• The practice carried out advance care planning for patients living with dementia.
• The practice was an accredited dementia friendly practice.
• All staff have had dementia training and the practice has two dementia champions. A dementia champion is someone with knowledge and skills in the care of people with dementia. They are an advocate for people with dementia and a source of information and support for co-workers.
• The practice had a system for monitoring repeat prescribing for patients receiving medicines for mental health needs.
• From unverified data supplied by the practice for 2016-2017, they had achieved 23 points out of a possible 26 points (89%) for Quality and Outcomes Framework for patients experiencing poor mental health.
• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those living with dementia.
• The practice had information available for patients experiencing poor mental health about how they could access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• Reception staff call patients with memory problems in advance to remind them of their appointments at the practice.

Updated 20 June 2017

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.
• End of life care was delivered in a coordinated way which took into account the needs of those whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.
• 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 had information available for vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.
• Staff interviewed knew how to recognise signs of abuse in children, young people and adults whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. They 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.