Innovative work to help patients receive their post  hospital care closer to home, has won a Weston super Mare GP surgery  the title of ‘General Practice of the Year’, in a new national award scheme organised by leading healthcare magazine publisher, Campden Publications, 
Tudor Lodge Surgery scooped the award at a ceremony held at London’s Lancaster London Hotel and hosted by TV personality and GP Phil Hammond. In a further honour for the team, their Manager Val Denton was named Practice Manager of the Year and received a £2,500 bursary to spend on facilities for the surgery.  
Tudor Lodge Surgery shared the award of Practice of the Year with a Surrey Practice, after judges announced the standard of both practices was so high they could not name a single winner.
Valerie Denton, who received her award as the practice manager who had made an outstanding contribution to her surgery’s performance in the last 18 months, said later: “I am absolutely overwhelmed. These three awards are a tribute to the fantastic dedication and commitment of the entire team at Tudor Lodge. We went to the award ceremony never dreaming for a moment that we would win anything but three awards were something beyond our wildest imaginings!”




The work for which the practice itself – and Val - won the awards, focussed on Keeping Care Closer to Home.  This included work to reduce hospital outpatient follow ups that were non-productive, inappropriate or were for procedures that could be performed in the practice itself and close follow up by practice of cancer patients, vulnerable elderly and their carers.

Explained Val: “We felt that there was a great deal of ‘waste’ in hospital follow ups. Patients were seen regularly without any change in medication/condition and were often stable. We wanted to reduce outpatient follow ups without compromising patient care and to keep care closer to home. We also wanted to expand this into keeping patients out of hospital (Out of hours, re-admissions, use of 999) As a team we are committed to ensuring only those who really need to go to hospital get there and that our vulnerable and cancer patients are followed up closely 

 “Our cancer patients, on diagnosis, are sent a letter with a named administrators details so they have one point of contact throughout and our ‘vulnerable’ patients and carers are telephoned on a regular basis. A single call can make the difference to an elderly person living alone, or a carer under stress.”

Added Senior partner,  Dr Jeremy Maynard:  “As a forward thinking practice, the doctors and staff are committed to continuing the work they do in education, support and new innovations for patients. The team has completely changed from a reactive to a proactive one under the drive and guidance and total commitment of the practice manager. Val Denton is the lynchpin to the success of the practice. She has rolled out her approach to follow ups to other practices in North Somerset and is a highly valued member of the Shadow Board of the North Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group.”





Jeanette George, NHS North Somerset’s Local Director congratulated Tudor Lodge on its achievement:  “This is a well deserved award and we congratulate the practice on their success. They have worked hard at improving services for patients and in particular in reducing the number of times some patients have to attend hospital for follow-up in outpatient’s.  This means that patients get care as close to their home as possible wherever clinically appropriate as well as ensuring that we make the best use of hospital resources in these challenging times.  

Added Dr Mary Backhouse, Chair of North Somerset GP consortium: “Congratulation to Tudor Lodge practice and Val Denton, their practice manager. Tudor Lodge are an exemplar practice. They have tackled some difficult areas systematically, fully involving their patients in the changes they are making and providing an excellent role model for other practices in the area to follow”
-ENDS-

Notes to Editors
Under the Tudor Lodge system, every letter from secondary care follow up is reviewed daily. When a follow up is considered inappropriate or unnecessary a letter is sent to the hospital to cancel the appointment. The patient is advised and the appointments office is notified. An audit of collected data has confirmed that follow ups have considerably decreased, and patients are happier attending the surgery if they need to. An administrator also telephones patients who are discharged from hospital, to see if they need any further help or intervention.

The success of the initiative can be measured by the improvements in patient care that have resulted from it,
•	Outpatient follow up has decreased (20 per month but each follow up could generate up to 6 further ones) 



•	Out of hours attendances have reduced as have A&E attendances.
•	Patients receive information on how to prevent attendance and alternative contact points. 
•	Cancer patients value close and single point of contact.
•	Carers appreciate the contact and feel valued.
•	Vulnerable elderly remain at home rather than hospital. Problems are identified earlier and dealt with locally.
•	Patients with catheters can now come to the practice saving valuable time and resources as some work and others do not want to wait in all day.

Press Release issued by Karen Daniel at NHS North Somerset. For more information please contact Val Denton on 01934 428164