Enter and view: Ushaw Moor Surgery

Healthwatch County Durham carried out an enter and view visit to Ushaw Moor Surgery on 2 July 2018 to gather independent patient feedback and identify examples of good practice. During the four-hour visit, Healthwatch carried out 19 individual conversations with patients and staff and collected two completed surveys before the visit, giving feedback from 21 participants in total. 

Patients were highly positive about the surgery and consistently praised the professionalism, friendliness and empathy of doctors, nurses, reception staff and other healthcare professionals. Many said they felt listened to, supported and well cared for, and valued the strong relationships they had developed with staff. The surgery’s location, prescription service, parking, home visits and continuity of care were also frequently highlighted as strengths.

While many patients were satisfied with appointment access, the most common concern was difficulty obtaining appointments and getting through on the telephone. Some patients suggested improvements such as a call queuing system and raised concerns about the proposed care navigation approach, while others wanted greater continuity with the same doctor. Healthwatch also observed a clean, spacious and welcoming environment with good accessibility, although information displays were considered cluttered and some dementia-friendly improvements could be made. 

Healthwatch concluded that Ushaw Moor Surgery provided a well-regarded, patient-centred service with particularly strong staff-patient relationships. Recommendations included maintaining the positive staff culture, reviewing the appointment and telephone systems, making minor dementia-friendly improvements to the environment, organising health information displays more clearly, and continuing the practice’s work to support wider community wellbeing through the use of its facilities.