Abbey Field Medical Centre

Updated 10 January 2019

Abbey Field Medical Centre is a group of GP practices comprising; Abbey Field Medical Centre, Hawthorn Surgery, and Elmstead Market Surgery. The Abbey Field Medical Centre location merged with the Elmstead Market Surgery two and a half years ago, and the Hawthorn Surgery merged eighteen months ago.

The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the Regulated Activities; diagnostic and screening procedures, maternity and midwifery services and treatment of disease, disorder or injury. These are delivered from three sites, Abbey Field Medical Centre, and Hawthorn Surgery from the outskirts of Colchester and Elmstead Market Surgery a small rural village outside Colchester.

The provider holds a personal medical services (PMS) contract for approximately 19,000 patients. This is a contract between general practices and NHS England for delivering services to the local community. The practice dispenses for patients in the rural villages living more than 1.2 miles from an independent pharmacy. The practice trains GPs, nurses and has administrative apprentices.

The provider has five GP partners three male and two female, there is four salaried GPs. The practice employed, five nurse practitioners, three practice nurses, three health care assistants in the clinical team. There was a large team of managers and administrators that supported the clinical team.

There are higher than average numbers of patients under the age of 39, and fewer patients aged over 45 and over than the national average. Information published by Public Health England, rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as five, on a scale of one to ten. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level ten the lowest. Male life expectancy is 78 years compared to the national average of 79 years. Female life expectancy is 81 years compared to the national average of 83 years.

Updated 10 January 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Abbey Field Medical Centre on 04 December 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

• what we found when we inspected
• information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
• information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from preventable harm.
• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
• Patient satisfaction was very low in relation to access to the practice via the telephone for an appointment and positivity about making an appointment.
• The practice listened to their patients and organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs.
• Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
• The practice continually audited and developed the services they provided to ensure patient outcomes and satisfaction was improved.
• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.
• Leaders had the capacity and skills to deliver high-quality, sustainable care.
• Staff told us they felt supported, valued and that management listened to their opinions.
• There was a focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Improve the identification of carers to enable this group of patients to access the care and support their need.
• Ensure rooms that store medicines are monitored to check the temperature is within normal ranges to keep medicine safe for use.
• Improve patient satisfaction in relationship with access to the practice via the telephone for a positive experience to gain an appointment.

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 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019