Lakenheath Surgery

Updated 8 January 2019

• The name of the registered provider is Lakenheath Surgery.
• The address of the location is 135 High Street, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 9EP.
• The practice is registered to provide diagnostic and screening procedures, family planning, maternity and midwifery services, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.
• Lakenheath Surgery provides services to approximately 5,300 patients in a semi-rural area in Suffolk.
• The practice has three GP partners (two female and one male). The practice also employs one practice nurse, a healthcare assistant, two dispensers, four receptionists, a secretary and a practice manager.
• The practice holds a General Medical Services contract with NHS England. The practice is able to offer dispensing services to those patients on the practice list who live more than one mile (1.6km) from their nearest pharmacy. We visited the dispensary as part of this inspection.
• The practice is open between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Appointments can be booked in advance and the practice was part of a local scheme to offer appointments in the evening and on weekend mornings. Urgent appointments are available for people that need them. Online appointments are available to book in advance.
• When the practice is closed patients are automatically diverted to the GP out of hours service provided by Care UK. Patients can also access advice via the NHS 111 service.
• We reviewed the most recent data available to us from Public Health England which showed the practice has a smaller number of patients aged 0 to 44 years old compared with the national average. It has a larger number of patients aged 50-74 compared to the national average.
• Income deprivation affecting children is 11%, which is higher than the CCG average of 12% and lower than the national average of 20%. Income deprivation affecting older people is 12%, which is the same as the CCG average of 12% and lower than the national average of 20%. Life expectancy for patients at the practice is 81 years for males and 84 years for females; this is comparable to the CCG and England expectancy which is 80 years and 83 years.

Updated 8 January 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Lakenheath Surgery on 11 December 2018 as part of our inspection programme. The practice was previously inspected in April 2017 and rated as good.

Our judgement of the quality of care at this service is based on a combination of what we found when we inspected, information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall.

This means that:

• People were protected from avoidable harm and abuse and that legal requirements were met.
• Patients had good outcomes because they received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
• The practice was fully engaged with reviewing and monitoring the clinical service they offered and used this information to make changes and drive care.
• Patients were supported, treated with dignity and respect and were involved in their care.
• People’s needs were met by the way in which services were organised and delivered.
• The leadership, governance and culture of the practice promoted the delivery of high quality person-centred care.
• Staff reported they were happy to work in the practice and proud of the changes that had been made.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

• Continue to review outcomes from the national GP Patient Survey and implement plans to improve these.
• Proactively identify and record significant events.
• Ensure dispensing staff receive on-going role specific training and competency checks.
• Ensure the practice has a system for ensuring that the most up to date business continuity plan is available on and off site at all times.
• Provide guidance for non-clinical staff for identifying deteriorating or acutely unwell patient’s suffering from potential illnesses such a sepsis.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Updated 8 January 2019

Updated 8 January 2019

Updated 8 January 2019

Updated 8 January 2019

Updated 8 January 2019

Updated 8 January 2019