St George's Medical Centre

Updated 29 December 2017

St George’s Medical Centre is a teaching practice located in Hendon, North London within the Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group. The practice address is 7 Sunningsfield Road, Hendon, London NW4 4QR. The practice provides a range of services including meningitis immunisation, alcohol cessation, childhood immunisations, extended hours access, dementia support, learning disabilities support, influenza and pneumococcal immunisations, rotavirus and shingles immunisation and unplanned admission avoidance. More information about services provided by the practice can be found on their website: www.stgeorgesmc.co.uk

The practice have a patient population of 10,300. At 50% the practice had a lower proportion of people with a long standing health conditions than the national average of 53%.The practice serves a diverse community. According to the most recent census data the most prevalent population groups included 38% White British and 14% Asian or Asian British. At 81 years, male life expectancy was above the national average of 79 years.

At 85 years, female life expectancy was above the national average of 83 years. The practice has fewer patients aged 60 years of age and older compared to an average GP practice in England. The percentage of patients between the ages of 20 and 44 is higher than the average GP practice in England. The surgery is based in an area with a deprivation score of seven out of ten (one being the most deprived). Older people registered with the practice have a higher level of income deprivation compared to the local and national averages. Patients at this practice have a much lower rate of unemployment when compared to the national average.

Updated 29 December 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This practice is rated as Good overall. The practice was previously inspected on 12 October 2016 and rated Good.

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 St George’s Medical Centre as part of our new methodology inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

There was an open and honest culture in the practice which promoted a culture of learning and improvement. The practice had comprehensive systems in place and we saw evidence that these systems were improved upon through learning from incidents. Care and treatment was provided in line with evidence-based guidance and we saw many examples of the practice tailoring its service to improve the patient experience. Patients had positive views about the care they received and their interactions with practice staff. Access to the service was good and patients told us they could book routine and emergency appointments when needed. We saw many examples of continuous learning and improvement on the day of inspection.

For example:

• 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.

• The practice thought about patient experience and put services in place to improve such as providing in house phlebotomy services and acupuncture.

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

• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.

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

We saw three areas of outstanding practice:

• The practice had eight fully trained health champions that assist patients in the surgery and provide social and well-being events. For example, the health champions greet patients in reception and encourage patients to take advantage of the blood pressure monitoring pod in the patient reception area. The health champions provide a range of events for patients including weekly walks in the local park, chair yoga held at the practice and a gardening club. The champions also provide social services such as telephone support or accompanying patients to hospital appointments. The practice conducted a patient survey and we saw evidence that on average patients overall well-being (using a five point scale) went from a three to a five.

• The practice provide an alcohol counselling service in partnership with Westminster Drug Project. The service included one to one counselling with an alcohol counsellor, group sessions, medical interventions, detox opportunities (outpatient and inpatient) and inpatient rehabilitation. We saw evidence that there was a 60% success rate for patients who participate in the service.

• The practice provide an acupuncture service, free of charge, to all registered patients. The practice conducted an audit to identify whether patients felt this treatment had helped with their conditions. Patient were treated for conditions such as tennis elbow, neck pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain, knee pain and headache. During the audit the practice contacted patients who undertook this treatment between January 2017 and November 2017, 78% of patients felt this service had reduced their pain and would recommend this treatment.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Improve the uptake of childhood immunisations.

• Improve the uptake of cervical screening in women between the ages of 25 and 64.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 1 December 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long term conditions. As the practice was found to be providing good services overall, this affected the rating for the population groups we inspect against.

Updated 1 December 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of families, children and young people. As the practice was found to be providing good services overall, this affected the rating for the population groups we inspect against.

Updated 1 December 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people. As the practice was found to be providing good services overall, this affected the rating for the population groups we inspect against.

Updated 1 December 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of working age people (including those recently retired and students). As the practice was found to be providing good services overall, this affected the rating

for the population groups we inspect against.

Updated 1 December 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). As the practice was found to be providing good services overall, this affected the rating for the population groups we inspect against.

Updated 1 December 2016

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. As the practice was found to be providing good services overall, this affected the rating for the population groups we inspect against.