Colsterworth Medical Practice

Updated 16 April 2018

Colsterworth Medical Practice is located on Back Lane Colsterworth, Grantham, NG33 5NJ.

It is a single handed GP practice and the provider is registered with Care Quality Commission to provide the regulated activities of;

Diagnostic and screening procedures

Family planning

Maternity and midwifery services

Surgical procedures

Treatment of disease, disorder or injury

There is a branch surgery at Church Street South Witham, NG33 5PJ. This was not visited during the course of our inspection. Both sites are in isolated rural locations with limited public transport provision.

The practice patient list comprises slightly higher numbers of people aged 65 and over than the CCG average and 8% higher than the national average. There are a significant number of patients employed in agriculture and there are pockets of isolation and rural deprivation.

The percentage of people with a long standing health condition is higher than both the CCG and national average.

The practice has a list size of 2,385 and dispenses to almost 100% of eligible patients who live more than 1.6 km from a community pharmacy.

The practice has a General Medical Services (GMS) contract which is a contract between the GP partners and the CCG under delegated responsibilities from NHS England. The practice is located in the NHS South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

At the time of our inspection the practice healthcare was provided by one female GP, one female salaried GP (whole time equivalent WTE 0.25), one advanced nurse practitioner (WTE 1.0), one practice nurses (WTE 0.53) and one health care assistant (WTE 0.53). They are supported by a team of three dispensers and management, administration, reception and housekeeping staff.

The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. There is no extended hours provision. The branch surgery at South Witham is open on Monday and Thursday mornings from 10.30am to 12 noon.

The practice has opted out of providing out-of-hours services to their own patients. The out-of-hours service is provided by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust and is accessed by NHS111.

Updated 16 April 2018

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This practice is rated as Good overall.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:

Older People – Good

People with long-term conditions – Good

Families, children and young people – Good

Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Colsterworth Medical Practice on 14 March 2018 as part of our inspection program.

At this inspection we found:

• 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 routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

• Feedback from patients was positive in terms of the care and treatment they received although some expressed concerns about the time it took to get an appointment with a GP.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Complete actions outstanding from the recent infection control audit.

• Review arrangements within the dispensary to minimise the risk of dispensing errors.

• Adhere to the  providers own polices with regard to the frequency of medicines stock control .

• Continue to monitor rates of patient satisfaction and seek ways to improve.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice