Norwood Surgery

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• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We looked for evidence that staff monitored people’s care and treatment and supported them to live healthier lives. At our last inspection, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Assessing needs during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at Delivering evidence-based care and treatment during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at How staff, teams and services work together during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

The service supported people to manage their health and wellbeing, maximising their independence, choice, and control. They also helped people live healthier lives and, where possible, reduce their future need for care and support. For example, the service had for many years encouraged patients to get involved in a local ‘Park Run’ exercise initiative. This was to help patients improve conditions like anxiety, depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure. This encouragement was seen and was widely discussed at this assessment.

Staff identified risks to people’s health, including those in the last 12 months of their lives and those with caring responsibilities. The service supported national priorities and initiatives to improve population health, including smoking cessation and tackling obesity. Partners and members of the clinical team provided patients with information and support to manage their own health, care, and wellbeing, and encouraged them to make healthier choices to maintain their health and prevent deterioration. Leaflets and information about health conditions and support groups were seen on display in the reception and waiting rooms.

At our last inspection we reported that 1 of the GP partners had undertaken a significant amount of self-funded work to improve outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes. For many years, practice staff had actively engaged with patients and supported them to take control of their diabetes and manage their condition. Staff and GP’s helped patients follow simple, easy-to-understand diets and provided education about the glycaemic index and its effects. The practice also established a regular support group for patients, which the practice GP’s led. We were shown that with ongoing support, patients were able to lose considerable amounts of weight. The service reported that many patients’ blood glucose levels and regulation returned to normal. National and medical press widely reported on this work, with reports suggesting that patients also experienced improvements in other conditions associated with poor weight management and diabetes.

We spoke with 2 patients who described the life-changing benefits they had achieved through the support provided by the GPs and the support group.

The service routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured outcomes were positive, consistent and met the expectations of people themselves. The service met national targets apart from the number of women who have had adequate cervical screening which the provider was aware of and was working to encourage greater uptake. The service told us they were working to increase uptake of cervical screening across the relevant patient population. Patients were being contacted proactively to encourage them to attend, and specific cervical screening clinics were being scheduled. Updated unverified information was provided following the assessment to show improvement in uptake.

People who required monitoring underwent regular checks on their health. Regular searches of patient’s medicines were undertaken by the service to ensure safe prescribing and to ensure appropriate checks had been undertaken for people. Depending on the results, people were supported with additional advice and care to manage their long-term conditions.

Staff closely monitored patients who took part in the low-carbohydrate lifestyle programme to improve their diabetes. Staff regularly monitored all patients through blood and urine tests and held regular support meetings.

We did not look at Consent to care and treatment during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.