Cherrymead Surgery

Updated 30 January 2019

Cherrymead Surgery provides primary medical services to the population of Loudwater in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The practice is one of the practices within Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group and provides primary medical services to approximately 10,700 registered patients.

Services are provided from:

Cherrymead Surgery,

Queensmead Road,

Loudwater,

High Wycombe,

Buckinghamshire

HP10 9XA.

The practice website is:

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, Buckinghamshire has high levels of affluence and minimal economic deprivation. However, the practice borders an area of High Wycombe with a growing level of deprivation. The age distribution of the registered patients is largely similar to the national averages. Although there is a lower number of patients aged between 15 and 29 years of age.

The practice has three GP’s (two partners and one salaried), a physician associate, a clinical pharmacist, two minor illness nurses, three practice nurses, a phlebotomist and a health care assistant. They also have a range of administration managers, receptionists and administration support staff.

Updated 30 January 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Cherrymead Surgery on 6 March 2018 as part of our inspection programme. The practice was rated as good overall and requires improvement in well-led.

This focused follow up inspection was to follow up the concerns identified in well-led. The practice is now rated as good overall and in well-led.

We concluded that:

• There were clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 14 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 showed the practice had achieved 94% of targets which was similar when compared to the CCG average (93%) and better when compared to the national average (89%).

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All patients with long term conditions had a structured annual review to check their health and medicines needs were being met. For those patients with the most complex needs, the practice staff worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

• The practice used local education programmes to support people with long-term conditions for example, Diabetes Structured Education and local support groups, for example, Breathe Easy Bucks.

Updated 14 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 relatively high 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 practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 88%, which was higher when compared to the CCG average (84%) and the national average (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, health visitors and school nurses.

Updated 14 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.

• Cherrymead Surgery was responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and rapid access appointments for those with enhanced needs. The practice identified if patients were also carers; information about support groups was available in the waiting areas.

• The practice worked with the multi-disciplinary teams in the care of older vulnerable patients.

• Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients for conditions commonly found in older people were higher than local and national averages. For example, 100% of patients aged 50-74, with a fragility fracture and with a diagnosis of osteoporosis (a condition that weakens bones), are currently treated with an appropriate bone-sparing agent. This was higher when compared to the local CCG average (89%) and national average (92%).

Updated 14 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 had core opening hours between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday with appointments available from 8am to 6.20pm daily. Extended opening hours were available every Tuesday and Thursday when the practice remained open for appointments and telephone consultations until 8.15pm.

• The practice was proactive in offering telephone consultations and online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflects the needs for this age group.

Updated 14 July 2016

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

• 97% of people experiencing poor mental health had a comprehensive care plan documented in their record, in the preceding 12 months, agreed between individuals, their family and/or carers as appropriate. This was better when compared to the CCG average (89%) and national average (88%).

• 88% of patients diagnosed with dementia had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which was similar when compared to the local CCG average (86%) and higher than the national average (84%).

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of patients experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia.

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia, this included ‘Dementia Friend’ training.

• Cherrymead Surgery patient groups had organised various patient education meetings. These were held at the practice and were open to any patient who wished to attend. Recent topics covered included Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We were told these education meetings were very well attended with over 60 patients and their carers attended.

Updated 14 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 homeless people, travellers and 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.

• 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.