Archived: Dr's Abbatt, Coghill & Wade Also known as Denton Village Surgery

Updated 11 February 2016

Drs Abbatt, Coghill and Wade are located in the village of Denton, Northampton and serves approximately 6,050 patients. Patients are registered at the practice from 14 surrounding villages. The practice holds a General Medical Services contract and provides GP services commissioned by NHS England.

The practice is managed by three GP partners (two male, one female) and there are two salaried GPs who between them provide 29 clinical sessions per week. They are supported by a nurse prescriber who works 30 hours per week and assists with reviews of patients who have long term conditions such as, diabetes. They also provide cervical screening and contraceptive advice. There is part time practice nurse and a vacancy for a practice nurse and senior staff are trying to recruit to the position. There is a health care assistant (HCA) who spends part of her time carrying out duties such as, phlebotomy, health checks and dressings. The practice employs a practice manager, an assistant manager six receptionist/administrators and three receptionists.

Patients who live in excess of one mile from a pharmacy are eligible to have their prescribed medicines dispensed from the practice. This equates to 99% of registered patients. Medicines can be collected from the practice or any of five designated outlets. The dispensary has a dispensary manager, five dispensers and an apprentice who work varying hours. There is a prescription administrator based at the practice.

The practice is open from 8am until 6.30pm each day and closes at 7pm every Monday. Appointments are available from 8.15am until 11.15am and from 3pm until 5.45pm each day and 6,45pm on Mondays. Extra appointments are available if needed. Urgent appointments are available on the day. Routine appointments can be pre-booked in advance in person, by telephone or online. Telephone advice is also available for patients who are unsure if they need an appointment and for provision of advice for children.

The practice has opted out of providing GP services to patients out of hours such as nights and weekends. During these times GP services are provided currently by a service commissioned by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). When the practice is closed, there is a recorded message giving out of hours’ details.

Updated 11 February 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Drs Abbatt, Coghill and Wade on 1 December 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There were systems in place to mitigate safety risks including analysing significant events and safeguarding however they were not consistently applied. The premises were clean and tidy. Systems were in place to ensure medicines were safely dispensed and vaccines stored appropriately and in date.

• Patients had their needs assessed in line with current guidance and clinical staff had a holistic approach to patient care. All GP appointments were 15 minutes to enable them to provide comprehensive care. Staff promoted health education to empower patients to live healthier lives.

• Feedback from patients and observations throughout our inspection showed that staff were kind caring and helpful.

• Practice staff worked closely with other organisations and external professionals in planning how services were provided to ensure that they meet people’s needs. People with complex needs had care plans in place that were regularly reviewed.

• There was a system in place to respond to and act on feedback and complaints.

• Staff worked together as a team. There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. It was evident that there was a strongly motivated staff team.

However, there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The provider should:

• Protect patients from the risk of heat discomfort or burns from unguarded exposed hot bulbs in examination lighting. Ensure the five locations where patients could collect their dispensed medicines are risk assessed to assure themselves that adequate safety measures are in place.

• Review the clinical audit programme to ensure continuous improvements are made to patient care.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 11 February 2016

The practice is rated good for the care of people with long-term conditions. These patients had regular health reviews with either the GP and/or the nurse to check their health and medication. Longer appointments were available when patients were seen by nurses to ensure they received comprehensive reviews. Where necessary these patients had a personalised care plan in place and were regularly monitored to check that their health and care needs were being met. A clinical audit demonstrated quality improvement to patient care.

Updated 11 February 2016

The practice is rated 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. A health visitor was invited to the regular multidisciplinary meetings to discuss any safeguarding issues as well as those children who had long term conditions. There were extended opening hours until 7pm each Monday and patients could hold a telephone conversation with a GP to receive advice. Children were given same day appointments and there was emphasis on children receiving their required vaccinations.

Updated 11 February 2016

The practice is rated good for the care of older people. There was a higher than average number of older patients registered at the practice. The practice offered personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population and offered home visits to those who were unable to access the practice. Rapid access appointments were provided for those with enhanced or complex needs. The practice had regular contact with district nurses and other professionals in meetings to discuss any concerns or changes that were needed to patient care. Older patients were offered annual health checks and where necessary, care, treatment and support arrangements were implemented.

Updated 11 February 2016

The practice is rated good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students). The needs of this population group had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible. The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs of this age group. All eligible patients had been given contraceptive advice, treatment and cervical screening.

Updated 11 February 2016

The practice is rated good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). Staff were trained to recognise patients presenting with mental health conditions and to carry out comprehensive assessments. Practice staff regularly worked with multidisciplinary teams in the case management of patients who experienced poor mental health and a mental health nurse attended the regular meetings. Patients who had dementia were also discussed in these meetings. Clinical staff carried out care planning for patients with dementia and those experiencing mental health illness. Referral mechanisms were in place for when staff identified deterioration in patient’s mental health. An NHS counsellor visited the practice weekly and provided advice and support to patients who experienced depression.

Updated 11 February 2016

The practice is rated 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. Annual health checks for all people with a learning disability were carried out and health action plans updated. Staff had been trained to recognise signs of abuse in vulnerable adults and children. Staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding the actions they should take if they had concerns and how to contact relevant agencies who were responsible for carrying out investigations.