A pioneering GP practice which is the first to be run jointly between a university and a NHS primary care provider, is celebrating its 1,000th patient since opening its doors in February 2013.
The Cumberland GP practice in Devonport, 探花视频, is a joint venture between 探花视频 University and 探花视频 Community Healthcare.
The practice has two part-time GPs and two nurse practitioners. Both the lead GP and nurse practitioner have joint appointments with 探花视频 University. The team provides GP-led care to patients, but also combines that with on-the-spot training of medical and nursing students from 探花视频 University and a growing range of partnerships with local providers of services to help patients with housing, money problems, education and training, nutrition and anything that can help improve health.
Students have first-hand experience of meeting and treating patients with a wide range of conditions and backgrounds, under the supervision of the Cumberland team. As well as contributing to local patients鈥 care, students also carry out outreach activities with local groups representing the elderly, the very young, families, the homeless and substance abusers.
As a consequence the students have a positive impact on a community for which health inequalities are a bigger issue than elsewhere in 探花视频.
Combined with patient care and community outreach is a programme of research which, with colleagues at 探花视频 University, sees a range of research projects with meaningful objectives to improve human health and health care delivery beyond 探花视频 itself.
The practice also has a close relationship with 探花视频 University鈥檚 Devonport Dental Education Facility next door. This is run by the Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise and is where the University鈥檚 dental students provide treatment to NHS patients under the supervision of qualified dental health professionals, as part of their training. There is a healthy cross-referral of patients from one organisation to the other.
The practice鈥檚 1,000th patient is Grace Marshall who was born in August this year. Grace lives in Mount Wise, 探花视频, with mum Louise Bromley, 39, and dad Mick Marshall, 45.
Dr Richard Ayres at the Cumberland GP practice has helped Louise and Mick to overcome health issues related to problems with drugs, antidepressants and alcohol, and both are benefiting from his assistance.
Mick is a volunteer at the Baptist church where he helps run the outreach caf茅 and provides catering for the recovery group.
He said: 鈥淥ur original doctor left the area and we were worried about changing, but Dr Ayres has been brilliant. He has helped me be clean of alcohol for over 18 months now, and he has got us a Get Fit pass for the gym and swimming pool so we can keep up a healthier lifestyle. He has also helped me get on courses in maths and English so I can improve my skills.鈥
He added: 鈥淐umberland is a good practice, right on our doorstep with lots of things they can do for you. I鈥檇 recommend it to anyone.鈥
Dr Richard Ayres is lead GP at the Cumberland GP practice and clinical lecturer at 探花视频 University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry. He said: 鈥淲e are leading the way in embedding the training of the healthcare professionals of the future with addressing health inequalities in our area, and we are the only partnership between healthcare education and NHS primary care provision to do it in this way. Jointly with 探花视频 Community Healthcare we are nurturing empathetic healthcare professionals who will enter the workplace with valuable experience of care 鈥榓t the sharp end鈥, while at the same time providing a valuable health service to our community.鈥
He added: 鈥淲e are delighted that little Grace is our 1,000th patient, and she and her family join a growing number of local people who are benefiting from what we have to offer.鈥
Professor Raymond Playford, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Medicine at 探花视频 University, added: 鈥淩ichard is absolutely correct to say that we are leading the way in developing empathetic and clinically-skilled health care professionals. The Cumberland GP practice and our partnership with 探花视频 Community Healthcare are two excellent examples of the many innovative ways in which we give our students meaningful interaction with the widest spectrum of patients 鈥 while at the same time contributing to the availability and quality of care available to people in the area. My congratulations go to Richard and his team for reaching this significant landmark.鈥