Primary Care Projects

Author: Amanda Gray, Quality Improvement Lead, Dr Amy Windsor, GP, and Mary Scobell, Frailty Nurse, Quality Support Fund 2018-19 

Author: Nadia Kuftinoff, Programme Coordinator – Innovation Adoption and Rachel Dominey, Associate Director and Primary Care Lead, Wessex Academic Health Science Network, Quality Support Fund 2018-19

Author: Dr Natasha Hawkins, GP, Individual QI Fellowship 2018-19

Author: Isabel Hooley, Diabetes Specialist Dietitian, DCHFT, Individual QI Fellowship 2017-18

Author: Dr Helen Pandya, GP, Fareham and Gosport CCG, Individual QI Fellowship 2017-18

Summary: The Wessex Local Eye Health Network (LEHN) is a multi-professional body including optometrists, ophthalmologists, and representatives from NHS England, Public Health England, Healthwatch, local authorities, and third sector organisations. The LEHN set out with the aim of improving eye healthcare service for hard-to-reach groups in the Wessex region, in order to reduce inequality of access to eye and vision care. Part of this project looked at homeless groups in relation to targeted interventions in this area. 

Author: Dr Rory Nicholson, Wessex Ophthalmology Trainee, Ophthalmology QI Fellowship (offered in conjunction with NHSE Wessex) 

Summary: The aim of the project was to identify the most effective channels, tools and resources to increase the volume of repeat dispensing prescriptions (eRD) within a GP practice.

Author: Jagjiwan Khela, Practice Pharmacist, Southampton GP Practice, Primary Care QI Fellowship (offered in conjunction with NHSE Wessex) 

Summary: The project aimed to enable GPs to attend more promptly to patient matters specifically requiring GP action. It designed a protocol which non-clinical staff can follow to deal with incoming mail that does not need GP attention.  It now re-routes around 45-50% of the mail previously sent to GPs. 

Author: Dr Kari Nightingale, GP, GP QI Fellowship, 2015-16 

Summary: To look at an area where the GP potentially had unnecessary involvement in a patient pathway and look at ways to change this, implementing these changes if possible. In this case, referral of patients to ophthalmology from the optometrist, via the GP and then onwards to the ophthalmologist was seen as not improving patient care and increasing GP workload. The intended outcome was that referrals would be sent directly from the optometrist to the ophthalmologist.. 

Author: Dr Rebecca Maynard, Post-CCT GP, GP QI Fellowship 2015-16 

Summary: The project allowed the Fellow to work with West Hampshire on a project to explore the impact of implementing ‘dementia friendly practices’. The resources developed such as care plans and practice action plans have been placed on the newly developed West Hampshire Dementia Roadmap. Two more practices in WHCCG have since become dementia friendly and others are looking at dementia friendly actions. An educational package is being developed for GPs. The work will be shared more widely across Hampshire with the AHSN and nationally with Alzheimer’s Society.

Author: Dr Verity Turner, GP, GP QI Fellowship, 2014-15

Summary: Three GP practices participated in this project which aimed improving the culture of safety incident reporting and learning in primary care services. Baseline data was collected from 3 surgeries within the West Hampshire CCG and individual support provided to these practices to improve on their current practice. Collaboration took place with the Medication Safety Officer from West Hampshire CCG to help develop a local medication safety incident reporting and learning network. Work also included contributing to the NHS England patient safety incident reporting e-form pilot. Post Fellowship, we are hoping to work with Wessex GP appraisal lead to develop a patient safety resource for use by GPs in the Wessex deanery.

Author: Dr Helen Prince, GP QI Fellowship, 2014-15 

Summary: The project aimed to improve the experience of death verification in the community by increasing the uptake of verification training and sign off competent nurses working in community nursing homes. Didactic training sessions were provided for nurses in seven care homes enabling thirty seven nurses to be signed off as competent, with at least thirteen successful nurse led death verifications following. The ongoing use of these skills will allow more dignified end of life care for patients, reduce unnecessary distress from delays to relatives and carers, and allow a more cost-effective use of GP resources, especially out of hours.  

Author: Dr Emily Edwards, GP, GP QI Fellowship, 2014-15