Contact details

Court Thorn Surgery, Low Hesket, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 0HP
Telephone: (016974) 73548
Fax: (016974) 73781
http://www.courtthornsurgery.co.uk

Staff

Intending trainer: Dr Brian Baker
Partner: Dr Ken Sutton
Practice Manager: Jennie Sutton

Business Manager: Rachael Somerville

About the practice

Location

Court Thorn Surgery is a rural dispensing Practice located midway between Penrith and Carlisle. It covers a wide geographic area extending into the most beautiful unspoilt Eden Valley with the river Eden flowing through Armathwaite and bisected by the Carlisle Settle railway. The Practice area extends from the outskirts of Carlisle to the outskirts of Penrith. This is a rural farming area with the Practice population being either in farming, semi- professional and professional with very little unemployment. We pride ourselves in offering personal patient-centred care.

 The Practice Services

The Practice list stands at just over 2670.  The age profile is of the national average. Requests for home visits are very low but patients do ask and receive an appointment within 24 hours. Therefore, we easily achieve the 48 hour access targets.

Very high QOF points were reached in the year 2010/2011.  This has been greatly helped by a very proactive Practice team and Patients who are keen to attend chronic disease management clinics. We have recieved outstanding feedback in patient satisfaction surveys.

In addition, to offering general medical services, the Practice offers comprehensive minor surgery, family planning, disease management clinics in asthma, COPD, heart disease and diabetes. We are involved in final year medical student and Foundation Year 2 Doctors training.

The surgery offers a locally championed one stop diabetes clinic in which each diabetic patient is given three appointments together encompassing Practice Nurse, Dietician, and Chiropodist.  We  also work in partnership with our community engagement group 'Zest for Life'. They offer a variety of health and learning opportunities to benefit the community and practice population.  The surgery offers treatment for minor trauma and attends road traffic accidents in the vicinity.

 Computerisation

The Practise utilises an EMIS computer system and we have achieved 100% of notes summarisation. All hospital documentation is scanned into the computer system. We also continually strive to read code all diagnosis and consultations.

Dispensing

All prescriptions are also computer generated to facilitate the dispensing. Approximately 98% of patients are dispensing which involves a major part of the workload of the surgery, with our aim to dispense all items within 48 hours and often within 24 hours. We also cover a large Nursing and Residential home.

The Practice team

This includes two GPs: Dr Ken Sutton and Dr Brian Baker, a Practice Manager, Business Manager, two Practice Nurses, an Office Manager, a Dispensary Manager, receptionists and dispensers.  Brian is the lead Registrar trainer.

The Practice communicates by Monthly Practice Meetings and Monthly Department meetings with opportunities to action points between meetings.  However, the clinical team meet weekly. Communication is also complimented by the use of the intranet and Practice notes through the EMIS computer system.

Practice Facilities

The Practice moved to its present location in 2000 having previously been located in a small listed barn in the village of High Hesket. Due to service development these facilities were no longer big enough which led to a multiphase Practice explanation and development plan.  The Practice has eight consulting rooms, two waiting rooms, reception office, dispensary and dispensary office, plus an additional learning resource room.

Please vist our web site at http://www.courtthornsurgery.co.uk

Updated by TS on 23/1/12