We have over the past 20 years had extensive investment in audit, particularly in the field of prescribing. In accordance with the PACT data for the quarter ended June 2005 our Practice generic prescribing was 82% which compared favourably with the national equivalent of 81% and PCT equivalent of 80%. The number of items our Practice prescribed was 16% below the national equivalent and 19% below the PCT equivalent. In 2010/11 our generic prescribing rate is still over £81% although slightly below the Devon and England average. Our prescribing cost per weighted patient was £3 less than the England average as indicated below.
| June 2005 | 2010/11 | |||||
| Bideford MC | Devon | England | Bideford MC | Devon | England | |
| Generic Prescribing Rate | 82% | 80% | 81% | 81.60% | 82.58% | 83.44% |
| Net ingredient cost per weighted patient unit per ASTRO-PU for all prescribing | Data not recorded in 2005/06 | £23.69 | £23.27 | £26.75 | ||
We are fully computerised and use computerised templates extensively to manage QOF disease areas and related work. Our practice guidelines and management plans in diseases are developed in line with NICE Guidelines.
We are an approved training practice. Drs Clayton and Spencer who are trainers who have been actively involved in providing training to GP Registrars and medical students in conjunction with Drs Bond and Davies. Other Partners are very supportive of training and share the training of medical students. Dr Ansell is the Training Programme Director for the North Devon GP Training Scheme. We have considerable involvement in teaching of undergraduates and GP registrars and have made significant contribution to the Peninsula Medical and Dental School. The Partners believe in and support training. All practice staff have an equivalent of one week study leave. Some Partners act as mentors to staff in training.
We provide in-hour medical cover for the Minor Injury Unit at Bideford Hospital and medical emergency cover to Willow Ward at Bideford Hospital. The busy MIU is GP led and is a vital service for the local community.
We also have a daily commitment to the GP beds in Bideford Hospital where we are able to care for patients who in most other areas would be transferred to secondary care. Likewise receiving and caring for early discharge patients from the DGH into GP beds has relieved significant pressure on the DGH.
We provide medical cover to a large nursing and residential home with 11 and 45 beds respectively. We also provide medical cover for the local independent school with over 100 boarders. Drs Ed Bond and Ruth Down run weekly clinic on the school site.
There is a Charity called Friends of Bideford Medical Centre (FBMC) set up in 1998. Its main objectives are to provide and improve facilities and equipment for the relief of sickness and the preservation of health of the patients at the Medical Centre and the advancement of education in the provision of healthcare. Over the last 13 years from its inception to mid July 2011 over £135,500 has been donated to FBMC and the Trustees have approved spending of £128,000 on equipment and improving facilities for patients.
Practice Population and Demography
| Capitation | 25/05/2006 | 05/01/2012 | ||||||
| Age / Sex | M | F | Total | % | M | F | Total | % |
| Under 5 | 340 | 335 | 675 | 4.88% | 396 | 402 | 798 | 5.36% |
| 5-15 yrs | 892 | 806 | 1698 | 12.27% | 806 | 746 | 1,552 | 10.42% |
| 15-24 yrs | 886 | 848 | 1734 | 12.53% | 942 | 851 | 1,793 | 12.04% |
| 25-64 yrs | 3655 | 3793 | 7448 | 53.81% | 3,720 | 3,823 | 7,543 | 50.64% |
| 65-74 yrs | 686 | 703 | 1389 | 10.03% | 819 | 888 | 1,707 | 11.46% |
| 75-84 yrs | 418 | 588 | 1006 | 7.27% | 446 | 569 | 1,015 | 6.81% |
| 85 yrs+ | 144 | 306 | 450 | 3.25% | 152 | 336 | 488 | 3.28% |
| Total | 7021 | 7379 | 14400 | 100 | 7,281 | 7,615 | 14,896 | 100 |
| % of Total | 48.76% | 51.24% | 48.88% | 51.12% | ||||
Doctors’ Personal List Size
The Partners believe in continuity of care and they work on a personal list basis where possible. However, the advanced access initiative enforced by the Government has slightly eroded this philosophy of care.
|
25/05/2006 | 07/07/2011 | ||
| Doctor | Usual Doctor | % List | Usual Doctor | % List |
| Brown | 1621 | 11.26% | 1729 | 11.67% |
| Knight | 789 | 5.48% | 880 | 5.94% |
| Clayton | 1682 | 11.68% | 1698 | 11.46% |
| Loka | 1584 | 11.00% | 1555 | 10.49% |
| Spencer | 1764 | 12.25% | 1716 | 11.58% |
| Bardner | 1724 | 11.97% | 1666 | 11.24% |
| Stapley | 805 | 5.59% | 893 | 6.03% |
| Lidder & / Chan | 1472 | 10.22% | 1679 | 11.33% |
| Ford / Bond | 1715 | 11.91% | 1753 | 11.83% |
| Pritchard / Down | 1244 | 8.64% | 1208 | 8.15% |
| Davies | 43 | 0.29% | ||
| Total | 14400 | 100% | 14820 | 100% |
Other Social Factors and Issues
- There has been significant population growth since 1991 mainly in Bideford and Northam Parishes.
- The area has about an average percentage of Black and Minority Ethnicity compared to the county but significantly lower than the national percentage.
- Over 30% households in Bideford and Northam are single person households – this could rise over the next 10 years as much of the increase in households will be as result of increased numbers of single person households
- Three Areas are ranked in the most deprived 25% nationally, and much of the rest are in the top 50% making it the second most deprived market town area in Devon.
Torridge (where Bideford Medical Centre is) at a glance
- The health of people in Torridge is generally better than the England average. Deprivation is lower than average, however 2,015 children live in poverty. Life expectancy for men is higher than the England average.
- Over the last 10 years, all cause mortality rates have fallen. Early death rates from cancer are better than the England average. Early death rates from heart disease and stroke have fallen and are better than the England average.
- About 16.7% of Year 6 children are classified as obese. A higher percentage than average of pupils spends at least three hours each week on school sport. Levels of GCSE attainment are worse than the England.
- Estimated levels of adult obesity are worse than the England average. There were 1,519 hospital stays for alcohol related harm in 2009/10 and there are 104 deaths from smoking each year.
- Priorities in Torridge include working in partnership to address alcohol, healthy weight, sexual health, mental health and smoking.
Ethnicity Population as at 15/07/2011
| Number of Patients | Percentage | Total number of all ethnic population | Percentage | |
| British (White) | 11511 | 77.67% | ||
| Other White | 224 | 1.51% | ||
| Mixed | 29 | 0.20% | ||
| Asian | 70 | 0.47% | ||
| Black-Other | 14 | 0.09% | ||
| Black-British | 10 | 0.07% | ||
| Chinese | 33 | 0.22% | ||
| Other | 17 | 0.11% | 173 | 1.17% |
| No ethnic data | 2912 | 19.65% | ||
| TOTAL | 14820 | 100.00% |
The Practice ethnic population is in line with the 2001 census data for the local area but much lower than the England average as indicated. We are able to provide direct translation in Cantonese, Mandarin, Arabic and French. We use Languageline for other languages when necessary.