Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust has been awarded a two star rating in the National NHS Performance Ratings as published by the Healthcare Commission - a step up from last year.

The rating shows some encouraging results for the PCT, such as an increased number of local residents who quit smoking and improved access to GPs and healthcare professionals.

The PCT runs a joint Stop Smoking service for Kingston and Richmond and Twickenham PCTs. In the last year the Stop Smoking service has helped 462 people in the borough of Richmond upon Thames give up smoking through a number of treatments, such as nicotine replacement therapy and services including group counselling sessions at Teddington Clinic and Sheen Lane Health Centre. One to one sessions are also now available from trained pharmacists and practice nurses.

Other targets achieved include:

• 99 per cent of patients were offered an appointment to see a GP within two working days
• 98 per cent of patients were offered an appointment with a primary care professional (e.g. practice nurse) within one working day
• Following a GP referral, only a very small number of patients (0.01 per cent) had to wait longer than 17 weeks for an outpatient appointment
• No patients waited more than 9 months by the end of March 2004 for an inpatient admission on elective surgery such as hip replacements and cataract operations
• 90 per cent of patients were treated, transferred or discharged within four hours
• The participation of problem drug users in treatment programmes by March 2004 was over double the set target
• The PCT was in financial balance by the end of March 2004

The PCT was accredited with the Improving Working Lives Practice status, which acknowledges the PCT has a wide range of policies and procedures that help to improve the working lives of staff, which is found to contribute directly to better patient care.

Other areas the PCT has reached or surpassed national targets are:

• All GPs practices have access to Coronary Heart Disease clinical data no more than 12 months old which helps healthcare professionals provide appropriate treatment and lifestyle advice to patients suffering from this illness
• 81 per cent of woman between the age of 25-64 were screened for cervical cancer
• Low levels of prescribing of antibiotics the implication being the local population if less likely to build a resistance to antibiotics

Areas highlighted for improvement include the need to increase MMR vaccination in young children and improving infant health through the promotion of breastfeeding and targeting women who continue to smoke, whilst pregnant, to stop.

Joan Mager, Chief Executive, Richmond and Twickenham PCT said of the star rating: "The ratings measure performance in services provided by GP practices and the PCT itself as well as our local hospitals.

"We are delighted that the PCT has gained a 2 star rating; it recognises the great work undertaken in partnership across the NHS locally this year. We have all worked hard to improve services and patient care in the borough and aim to continue this into the future."

Thursday, July 22, 2004

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