Kettering GP surgery improvement sees practice move to 'good' rating

Staff at a Kettering medical practice are celebrating after they were graded as 'good' in their latest inspection by health regulators.

Lakeside's Headlands Surgery in Headlands, was rated as 'good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after the visit by inspectors in September, having previously been graded as 'requires improvement'.

The CQC found that the service met standards for being safe, effective, caring, well-led and responsive to people’s needs.

Inspectors said that the practice had 'made and sustained the improvements required’, that 'staff deal with patients with kindness and respect’ and ‘the way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.’

The report also highlighted the work of the social prescriber, Karen House, as an example of ‘outstanding practice.’

Social prescribers work with patients, often offering counselling, activities, support and information rather than medical intervention.

The CQC said: "They supported the practice to provide a holistic approach to people’s health, wellbeing and social welfare by supporting and signposting people to local support groups… for example patients being involved in the maintenance of a local community allotment before and after Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

"We saw evidence of how around 70 patients had experienced improvements in their circumstances in the last 12 months, as a result of this work."

Lakeside’s chief medical officer, Dr Miles Langdon, said: "This judgement is a huge and well-deserved accolade and the executive team and practices across the Lakeside Partnership would like to offer our congratulations to our Headlands colleagues on providing a good service and making a difference to their patients every day."

GP partner and non-executive director at Headlands, Dr Adeel Iqbal said: "The GP partners and colleagues at Lakeside Headlands are absolutely delighted with this judgement.

"It is testament to our shared commitment to support our patients, particularly through the challenges of Covid. To have improved our overall judgement to good across the board demonstrates our teamwork and ongoing drive to improve."

The inspection found that:

• Effective and well-led care was delivered to patients. The practice had made and sustained the improvements required to address the concerns identified at their last inspection.

• The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.

• Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.

• The practice had clear and effective systems to ensure patients on medicines received regular monitoring in a timely way.

• Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.

• The practice adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.

• The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care

About 10,400 patients access their primary health care at Lakeside Headlands. The practice staff includes three GP partners; one salaried GP; two practice nurses; two health care assistants; two pharmacy staff; a social prescriber; a patient services/site manager; and a team of 13 administrative, secretarial, support and reception staff.