Easington & Peterlee Medical Practice Also known as IntraHealth Limited

Updated 1 March 2017

Easington and Peterlee, William Brown Centre, Manor Way, Peterlee, Co Durham, SR8 5TW is located in the centre of the town of Peterlee, close to public amenities and on a main bus route.

The practice was part of Intrahealth, a primary care service situated in the North East of England.

The proportion of the practice population in the 65 years and over age group is slightly above the England average. The practice population in the under 18 age group is below the England average. The practice scored two on the deprivation measurement scale, the deprivation scale goes from one to ten, with one being the most deprived. People living in more deprived areas tend to have a greater need for health services.

The practice has nine salaried GP, seven male and two female. There are five nurse practitioners, five practice nurse and six health care assistants (HCA)/phlebotomists. There is a practice manager and a team of administration and domestic staff.

Two of the GP’s are GP trainers. The practice trains foundation doctors and also hosts pharmacy and student nurse placements.

Easington and Peterlee is open between 8.30 am to 8.30 pm Monday to Friday and 8.00 am to 1.00pm on Saturdays.

The practice, along with all other practices in the Durham, Darlington, Easington and Sedgefield CCG area have a contractual agreement for the Out of Hours provider to provide OOHs services from 6.00pm. This has been agreed with the NHS England area team.

The practice has opted out of providing out of hours services (OOHs) for their patients. When the practice is closed patients use the 111 service to contact the OOHs provider. Information for patients requiring urgent medical attention out of hours is available in the waiting area, in the practice information leaflet and on the practice website.

Updated 1 March 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 1 March 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of people with long-term conditions (LTCs).

• Nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management and patients at risk of hospital admission were identified as a priority.

• The percentage of patients with diabetes, on the register, who have had influenza immunisation between 2015 and 2016 was 99%.This was 1% above the CCG and 4% above the National Average.

• Patients with LTCs had a named GP and a structured annual review to check that their health and medicines needs were being met. For those people with the most complex needs, the named GPs worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care.

• ‘One-stop’ clinics were available for patients with multiple conditions; this reduced the need for several appointments.

• Two nurse practitioners

Updated 1 March 2017

The practice is rated as 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. For example, children and young people who had a high number of A&E attendances or who failed to attend hospital appointments.

• Immunisation rates were high for all standard childhood immunisations.

• Nationally reported data from 2015/2016 showed the practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 100%. This was same as the local CCG average and 3% above the England average.

• Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

• The practice has signed up to the ‘Young Carers Charter’. There were a range of projects in place to support young carers.

• The practice was awarded the ‘Investing in Children’ Award. They looked at making the practice accessible, inviting, and caring so that young people had confidence in the practice and in confidentiality.

• We saw good examples of joint working with midwives, health visitors and school nurses.

  The practice monitored any non-attendance of babies and children at vaccination clinics and worked with the health visiting service to follow up any concerns.

Updated 1 March 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of older people.

• The practice offered proactive, personalised care to meet the needs of the older people in its population. All patients over the age of 75 had a named GP.

• They were responsive to the needs of older people, and offered home visits and urgent appointments for those with enhanced needs.

• Nationally reported data for 2015/2016 showed that outcomes were good for conditions commonly found in older people. For example, performance for heart failure indicators was 100%; this was 1% above the local CCG average and 2% above the England average.

• The practice was part of the Vulnerable Adults Wrap Around Service (VAWAS). This was a service provided to vulnerable patients living in nursing or care homes, the housebound or those at high risk of admission. This was a Federation initiative through the CCG to ensure the needs assessment of vulnerable patients remained up to date.

Updated 1 March 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of working-age people (including those recently retired and students).

• The needs of the working age population, those recently retired and students had been identified and the practice had adjusted the services it offered to ensure these were accessible, flexible and offered continuity of care.

• The practice operated extended hours including late night clinics Monday to Thursday as well as Saturday mornings. This included appointments for smears and contraception.

• The practice was proactive in offering online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs for this age group.

• Telephone consultations were available every day with a call back appointment arranged at a time to suit the patient.

• Daily telephone triage with an advanced nurse practitioner were available.

Updated 1 March 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

• Nationally reported data from 2015/2016 showed 85% of people diagnosed with dementia had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the preceding 12 months. This was the same as the CCG average and 1% above the England average.

• Nationally reported data from 2015/2016 showed the percentage of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses who had a comprehensive care plan documented in their record in the preceding 12 months was 85%. This was 6% below the local CCG average of 4% below and the England average.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those with dementia. They have a community psychiatric nurse aligned to the practice.

• There is the availability of a psychologist and counsellors on site.

• The practice carried out advanced care planning for patients with dementia.

• The practice had told patients experiencing poor mental health about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• The practice had a system in place to follow up patients who had attended accident and emergency where they may have been experiencing poor mental health.

One of the GP’s is a dementia champion and the practice opportunistically screen patients for early signs of dementia. 

Updated 1 March 2017

The practice is rated as good for the care of people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.

• The practice held registers of patients living in vulnerable circumstances which included those with a learning disability.

• The practice offered longer appointments for people with a learning disability.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of vulnerable people.

• The practice told vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• 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 in normal working hours and out of hours.

• Telephone interpretation services were available and information leaflets in different languages were provided when required.