Southbourne Surgery Also known as Southbourne Surgery

Updated 12 August 2016

Southbourne Surgery (also known as Dr Smith and Partners) is located on Main Road in Southbourne, West Sussex. The practice provides services for approximately 9460 patients living within the Southbourne area. The practice holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract and provides GP services commissioned by NHS England. A GMS contract is one between the practice and NHS England where elements of the contract such as opening times are standard.

The patient population is higher than the national average for patients over the age of 65. Deprivation amongst children and older people is significantly lower than the national averages. The local population is predominantly white British and life expectancy for men and women is similar to the national averages. The local area is popular among tourists and the practice told us they had a significant number of temporary patients during the holiday season.

As well as a team of five GP partners and one employed GP (three male and three female), the practice employs three practice nurses, an emergency care practitioner, an assistant practitioner and two health care assistants. A practice business manager and assistant practice manager are employed, supported by a team of receptionists and administrative clerks. The practice also has an on-site physiotherapist, dietician, psychiatric nurse and counselling service and can refer patients to these services.

The practice is a training practice for GP trainees and foundation level two doctors and currently has two GP registrars.

The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm on weekdays. GP and nurse appointments are available between 8.15am and 6pm. Extended opening is available from 6.30am to 8am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays when patients can pre-book appointments with GPs and nurses. Routine appointments are bookable up to one month in advance. Patients are able to book appointments by phone, online or in person. The practice operates a phone triage system for patients requiring urgent appointments.

Patients are provided with information on how to access the out of hours service by calling the surgery or viewing the practice website.

The practice is registered to provide the regulated activities of diagnostic and screening procedures; treatment of disease, disorder or injury; family planning, and surgical procedures, maternity and midwifery services.

Updated 12 August 2016

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Southbourne Surgery on 26 April 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

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

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.

• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.

• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 12 August 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. There was an effective process for recalling and following up patients who did not attend their appointments.

• Patients were encouraged to be involved in their care and the practice was involved in the ‘Year of care’ initiative. This provided personalised care planning for patients with long term conditions.

• Performance for diabetes related indicators was in line with local and national averages. For example, patients with diabetes who had a blood pressure reading in the preceding 12 months of 140/80mmHg or less was 79% which was similar to the clinical commissioning group (CCG) average of 80% and the national average of 78%.

• The practice offered monthly diabetes clinics with the diabetes nurse specialist. Clinics with a dietetic nurse were held once every two months for patients who required specialist dietary advice.

• Longer appointments and home visits were available when needed.

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

Updated 12 August 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 relatively high for all standard childhood immunisations.

• Patients told us that children and young people were treated in an age-appropriate way and were recognised as individuals, and we saw evidence to confirm this.

• The practice’s uptake for the cervical screening programme was 82%, which was comparable to the CCG average of 83% and the national average of 82%.

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

• There was a comprehensive advice section available for young adults on the practice website which included advice on mental health, relationships and sexual health.

• We saw positive examples of joint working with midwives and health visitors and both of these services were available from the practice for the convenience of patients.

• The GPs held a meeting with the local school nurse once every two months.

Updated 12 August 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.

• There was a dedicated staff member whom housebound patients were able to call if they needed to see their GP.

• The practice had a dedicated carers’ coordinator who contacted patients who were carers to signpost them to available support.

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

Updated 12 August 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.

• The practice promoted different aspects of health promotion on its notice boards in the waiting room including alcohol awareness, cancer and stroke.

Updated 12 August 2016

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

• 83% of patients diagnosed with dementia had had their care reviewed in a face to face meeting in the last 12 months, which was comparable to the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) average of 82% and the national average of 84%.

• 91% of patients with severe and enduring mental health problems had a comprehensive care plan documented in their records within the last 12 months, which was better than the CCG average of 90% and the national average of 88%.

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

• The practice carried out advance 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.

• Staff had a good understanding of how to support patients with mental health needs and dementia.

• An on-site counselling service was available to which patients could self-refer.

Updated 12 August 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 homeless people, travellers and those with a learning disability.

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

• The practice regularly worked with other health care professionals in the case management of vulnerable patients.

• The practice informed 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.