Archived: Parkhall Surgery

Updated 13 January 2017

Parkhall Surgery is a well-established GP practice that has operated in the area for twenty five years. It serves approximately 4800 registered patients and has a general medical services contract with NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG. It serves Somersham and the surrounding villages of Colne, Earith, Bluntisham, Needingworth and Pidley. According to information taken from Public Health England, the patient population has a slightly higher than average number of patients aged 40-54 years, and a lower than average number of patients aged 19-39 years, compared to the practices across England. The area in which it is situated has low levels of social and economic deprivation. The practice team consists of two partnered GPs, two salaried GPs, two nurses and a health care assistant. They are supported by a number of dispensing and administrative staff. The opening times for the surgery are Monday to Fridays from 8am to 6pm, with extended opening hours on a Monday evening until 8pm.

Updated 13 January 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this practice on 18 May 2016. We set a requirement in relation to safe care and treatment. The practice sent in an action plan informing us about what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to the following;

• The practice must introduce an audit trail for prescription pads and computer forms so that they can monitor their use in line with national guidance.

During the initial inspection we also found areas where improvements should be made:

• Implement a formal system to disseminate The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and ensure all clinicians are aware of any updates.
• Ensure that dispensary staff are supported to keep up to date, and that they are regularly assessed as competent to carry out their role.
• Establish an effective process for monitoring the quality of the dispensing process including reviewing errors and near misses for learning.

The practice told us these issues were addressed by 20 May 2016 and have provided us with evidence to show they had taken the action to address the concerns.

We undertook a desk top review on 13 December 2016 to make a judgement about whether their actions had addressed the requirements.

The overall rating for the practice is good. You can read our previous report by selecting the ‘all reports' link for on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 20 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions. There was an effective patient recall system in place to ensure that patients’ health needs were reviewed. A specialist diabetic nurse visited the practice each month and there were regular virtual consultations with a consultant. Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority. GPs worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care to patients with the most complex needs.

The practice was part of a scheme to ensure patients had access to ‘just in case’ medicines in the evening and at week-ends.

.

Updated 20 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people. Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies. The practice worked well with local health visitors, midwives and school nurses to offer a full health surveillance programme for children. Immunisation rates were relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations. Information was available specifically for young people questioning their sexuality or gender identity.

Updated 20 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people. Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients were good for conditions commonly found in older people. The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population and had a range of enhanced services, for example in end of life care, dementia and avoiding unplanned hospital admissions.

Updated 20 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working age people (including those recently retired and students). The needs of these patients been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care. Appointments were available with the GPs and nurses from 8.30am each morning and the practice opened till 8pm every Monday evening. The dispensary was open until 6pm each evening.

A full range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs for this age group was available.

Updated 20 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). The practice performed well in indicators for dementia and mental health. Patients with significant mental health problems had annual mental health and medicines reviews.

The practice provided rooms for a range of mental health professionals to use to see patients, including those from the Gainsborough Foundation (alcohol support), and the IAPT team (independent access to psychological therapy).

Updated 20 June 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances might make them vulnerable. 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. The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.