Friday 29th April 2011

A Scheme that aims to help GP practices spend more time with patients is currently being trialled at a Derbyshire medical centre.

Bolsover's Welbeck Road Medical Centre is one of only seven surgeries in England and Scotland to be selected to take part in an initiative called Productive General Practice, which reassesses the way GP surgeries work.

During the trials key staff at the practice, including receptionists, GPs, nursing staff, practice managers, secretaries and pharmacy dispensers, will look at ways in which they can use their resources better to improve services for patients.

Every process that the practice undertakes - from answering the phones to why people don't attend surgery appointments and even what happens in the consultation will be scrutinised and the study results will give them the opportunities to lead the improvements themselves, laying down a template aimed at freeing up more time for GPs across the country to spend with their patients.

Dr Paul Cook, who is based at the surgery and recently took up the Medical Director post for NHS Derbyshire County, said: "This is a massive opportunity for us to use the skills and resources at our Bolsover surgery to influence and improve GP service for the benefit of thousands of patients across the country.

"We're really excited about this trial as it'll have a major knock-on effect to patients - as better management of time and resource will lead to improved clinical outcomes, with many unnecessary hospital admissions avoided.

“We also aim to involve patients with chronic illness in planning all aspects of their care, including what they should do if their condition worsens, which we hope will reducing the fear and anxiety that might otherwise lead to a 999 call.

"In the past schemes like this have often just tinkered with appointment systems, but this looks at what patients want, what we offer, and then matches the two together so we can get both a better outcome and increased patient satisfaction."

Practice manager Rosemary Adams said staff at the centre felt honoured to be asked to take part in the scheme and were determined to make the most of the opportunities it presented.

She said: "Over 10,000 patients are registered at this surgery - and that covers a wide range of patients from working mums, to the unemployed through to former coal miners, so it's really exciting that we can put the experience of Bolsover patients on the map by influencing the national rollout of the scheme."

The scheme has been launched by the NHS Institute, an organisation dedicated to improving the care provided by the NHS through innovation and good practice.

The NHS Institute is working with 7 general practices in England to test materials for the programme.

Once trialled, the NHS Institute will offer the scheme to all GP practices across the country, who can take it up on a voluntary basis.

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