The Village Surgery

Updated 6 March 2017

The Village Surgery, also known as Thurcroft Surgery, is situated in a former private 1970s dwelling that has been extended and adapted to offer health care provision.

The practice provides Primary Medical Services (PMS) for 6,800 patients in the NHS Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area.

There are five GP partners, two male and three female. The management of the practice is supported by a practice manager. The nursing team consists of four practice nurses supported by a phlebotomist and health care assistant.

The administration team consists of four administrators and three reception staff.

Surgery times are 8am to 6.30pm five days a week. Extended hours appointments are available Monday evenings 6.30pm to 8pm and Tuesday and Friday mornings 7am to 8am. The reception takes emergency calls only from 8am until 8.30 am. Routine appointments can be booked from 8.30 am to 6.30pm. Out of hours care can be accessed by contacting NHS 111 service.

Updated 6 March 2017

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Village Surgery on 25 November 2015. The overall rating for the practice was good but the practice required improvement for safety. The full comprehensive report for the 25 November 2015 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Village Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced focused inspection carried out on 24 January 2017 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 25 November 2015. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is rated as Good.

Our key findings were as follows:

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events. Records relating to investigations and meetings had been improved.

• Systems to monitor all appropriate action had been completed in relation  safety alerts had been improved.

• Recruitment processes had improved and appropriate recruitment checks had been undertaken as per the practices’ own policy and procedure.

• Systems had been implemented to record competency checks where these had been completed  to check members of staff level of skill in tasks relating to their role. An overview of staff training had been developed to enable staff training to be monitored.

• Risks relating to infection prevention and control had been assessed.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 28 January 2016

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

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

• Performance for diabetes related indicators was 70.9%, which was below the CCG 82.7% and national average 89.2%. The practice had had some unforeseen challenges in relation to the nursing team over the past 12 months and 1000 new patients had joined the practice after a long period of stability due to the development of a new housing estate. These issues had impacted on the practices’ ability to achieve some data targets. The practice had strengthened the nursing team and there was a new lead nurse for long term conditions.

• Patients with two or more long term conditions were able to attend a single review appointment to minimise the number of visits for them.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

• All these patients 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 GP worked with relevant health and care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary package of care and were reviewed four monthly.

Updated 28 January 2016

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.

• Immunisation rates were higher than CCG averages for standard childhood immunisations.

• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 78.25%, which was comparable to the CCG average of 82.5% and the national average of 81.83%.

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

• Parents told us the doctors had been very supportive and caring with them when their children were ill.

Updated 28 January 2016

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.

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

• A GP completed a weekly visit to see patients at a local care home.

Updated 28 January 2016

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

• Extended hours appointments were available Monday evenings 6.30pm to 8pm and Tuesday and Friday mornings 7am to 8am.

Updated 28 January 2016

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

• 77.46% of people diagnosed with dementia had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months.

• Performance for mental health related indicators was 86% which was comparable to the CCG, 90.7%, and national average of 92.8%.

• The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the case management of people experiencing poor mental health, including those living with dementia.

• It carried out advance care planning for patients living with dementia.

• The staff had completed training to enable the practice to become a dementia friendly practice.

• The practice had developed carers’ information pack for carer of patients living with dementia and had shared this with other practices.

• The practice was working with the CCG to implement an enhanced service for patients living with dementia.

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

Updated 28 January 2016

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

• The practice held a register of patients living in vulnerable circumstances including those with a learning disability.

• It offered longer appointments for patients with a learning disability.

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

• It had told vulnerable patients about how to access various support groups and voluntary organisations.

• Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse in children and adults whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. 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.