Archived: Hawthorn Surgery

Updated 15 August 2016

Hawthorn Surgery is a two partner practice in a purpose built building on the outskirts of Scotter village. The practice list size is approximately 4100 patients and covers approximately 75 square miles and includes a further 17 surrounding villages. The site has car parking and pedestrian access and additional parking has also been secured at the village hall a short walk away.

The practice has two GP partners, both male, and a female locum GP that attends the practice for one session most weeks. The practice is a dispensing practice and dispenses to approximately 30% of its list size. The practice employs a practice manager who has worked there for over 20 years, two part time practice nurses and a phlebotomist along with six administration staff and five dispensary staff.

The practice provides GP services under a (GMS) General Medical Services contract.

The practice has a small ethnic population and offers telephone interpreters for those that have language difficulties. The practice also covers patients in four care homes, two of which are supported with weekly visits by one of the partners.

The surgery is open from 8am until 6.30pm Monday to Friday other than Wednesday when the practice closes at 12.30pm. The surgery also closes for lunch from 12.30pm to 2pm. Appointments are available from 8.45am although on a Thursday there are appointments from 8.20am and appointments are available up until 6pm twice a week. The practice operates an emergency clinic every day at 11am. This is for patients that call on the day and need to be seen on the day. The practice also offer appointments that can be booked up to a week in advance, telephone consultations and home visits.

The practice lies within the NHS Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). A CCG is an organisation that brings together local GPs and experienced health professionals to take on commissioning responsibilities for local health services.

Updated 15 August 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced desk based follow up inspection on 30 June 2016 to follow up concerns we found at Hawthorn Surgery on 5 November 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• Staff did understand and fulfil their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. Incidents had been recorded and actions and lessons learned identified to prevent reoccurrence.

• Temperatures were been checked and recorded most days. The practice manager explained days that had not been checked were due to nursing staff not being at work and that they would make sure other staff members were shown how to do it to cover for these days in the future.

• There was a robust system for making referrals for GP’s to follow.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 28 January 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services; it is rated as requires improvement for safe services. The concerns which led to this rating apply to everyone using the practice, including this population group.

GPs and nursing staff had lead roles in chronic disease management. Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed. All patients had a named GP and a structured annual review to check that their health and medication needs were being met. Patients were encouraged to manage their conditions and were referred to health education and other services such as smoking cessation which was provided by the practice. Special notes where used on the patient record enabling out of hours providers to be informed of any special information they may need in relation to these patients outside normal surgery hours.

Updated 28 January 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services; it is rated as requires improvement for safe services. The concerns which led to this rating apply to everyone using the practice, including this population group.

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. The practice met with health visitors, midwives and school nurses on a bi-monthly basis to discuss any safeguarding issues. The practice had compiled a minor ailments booklet which included advice on ailments such as colds, burns, diarrhoea and chickenpox, which also directed patients to A&E or the pharmacy where necessary. Appointments were available outside of school hours and the premises were suitable for children and babies.

Updated 28 January 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services; it is rated as requires improvement for safe services. The concerns which led to this rating apply to everyone using the practice, including this population group.

Nationally reported data showed that outcomes for patients were good for conditions commonly found in older people.  An Age UK advisor attended the surgery once a week to provide advice and support and would also visit patient’s homes with consent of the patient. Every patient had a named GP. The practice had contact with district nurses and participated in meetings with other healthcare professionals to discuss any concerns. Flu checks were offered for over 65’s to identify potential Atrial Fibrillation to assist with preventing strokes.

Updated 28 January 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services; it is rated as requires improvement for safe services. The concerns which led to this rating apply to everyone using the practice, including this population group.

The practice surgery had same day urgent appointments available. The extended hours appointments were available up to 6pm twice a week.  The feedback from the patient survey showed that 98.6% said the last appointment they got was convenient compared with a CCG average of 92.3% and a national average of 91.8%. The practice also offered telephone consultations with a clinician if requested and also offered online services as well as a full range of health promotion and screening that reflected the needs for this age group.

Updated 28 January 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services; it is rated as requires improvement for safe services. The concerns which led to this rating apply to everyone using the practice, including this population group.

100% of people experiencing poor mental health or dementia had received an annual review. The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health. The practice worked with a mental health liaison nurse who they could refer patients to who would then meet with patients to make any further referrals to the relevant teams for support.

Updated 28 January 2016

The practice is rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive and well-led services; it is rated as requires improvement for safe services. The concerns which led to this rating apply to everyone using the practice, including this population group.

The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability. The practice had a disability lead and annual reviews were offered to these patients. Longer appointments were available for people with a learning disability. Staff had been trained 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.