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DARTMOUTH MEDICAL PRACTICE means that some patients who used


The Dartmouth Medical Practice, sited in Victoria Square at the bottom of Victoria Road, is the major provider of healthcare in Dartmouth.


ministrative staff. The practice serves a population within a geographical area stretching from Cornworthy in the north to Slapton in the south, the western border running eight miles inland from Dartmouth, skirting East Allington, Blackawton and Halwell. In this close-knit and friendly com-


T


munity, Dartmouth Medical Practice prides itself on working well with other organisations.


“Being the only practice in the area has enabled us to establish


he practice has eight doctors, three practice nurses, three health care assistants and 19 ad-


to have to travel to a hospital to see a specialist can be treated or assessed within the surgery. The promotion of quality patient care in general practice and the teaching and training of future GPs has been embedded into the practice for over 50 years: two previous part- ners, Dr RMS McConaghy - known as ‘Dr Mac’ - and the ever-popular Dr Giles Keane were founder members of the Royal College of General Practitioners (the body which sup- ports quality and training in general practice) and this has recently been


be achieved and if you are a patient of the practice reading this, why not consider joining the PPG?” Dr Adam Morris said: “When considering healthcare in the UK, one thing we can be sure of is ‘change’! It’s not going to stay still. The practice recognises this and importantly, the need to influence change for the benefit of its patients. To this end the practice has representation within the body which commissions care for its’


Some of the Doctors at DMP


close working relationships with other health and social care providers such as District Nurses, Dartmouth Hospital (medical cover being provided by the local GPs), Palliative Care Nurses and Dartmouth Caring - whose office is sited within the practice,” said Practice Partner Andrew Eynon Lewis. “Close collaboration, through informal and formal meetings, has been cru- cial to delivering care to our practice population of 8,500 patients, which consists of a significantly greater proportion of over 75 year olds when compared to the UK average.” The practice has a policy of encouraging and supporting its staff in the developments of new skills and expertise. This has enabled the practice to deliver enhanced special- ist care locally by the GPs. Areas of such expertise include; Cardiology, Ear Nose and Throat medicine, Dermatology, Minor Surgery, Family Planning, Asthma and Diabetic care. This is a unique mix of skills for a medical practice in Devon – and


strengthened by the practice’s involvement in teaching final year medical students from the Peninsula Medical School. “Having young learners provides challenge and energy that encour- ages the clinical team to keep up to date with the latest thinking and to re- flect on their practice,” said Dr Eynon Lewis, who is an associate Dean for the School. “All good stuff for those practice patients receiving care.” The practice has its own Patient


Participation Group (PPG), whose remit is to remind the practice to consider the patient perspective in the development of services and contribute towards the construction of these services. The group has had an important impact in the development of the appointment system and the imple- mentation of the on-line booking of appointments. Dr Eynon Lewis said: “We are delighted at the role played by the PPG. There is much more that can


patients (The Torbay and South Devon Clinical Commissioning Group) and also with the Peninsula Postgraduate Deanery, the body which delivers and directs the training of doctors and nurses.” Dr Eynon Lewis said that the Medi- cal Practice hoped to find, or build new premises to allow it to continue to develop the services and treatments it provides. “A particular challenge for the prac- tice is that of providing 21st century healthcare in a 19th century build- ing,” he said. “Perhaps the next time you read something in By the Dart about the Dartmouth Medical Practice this challenge will have been met.”


The Medical Practice has as website, www.dartmedical.co.uk that has information on the practice team, its services, details of how to sign up for online appointment booking, the PPG, an online survey and repeat prescription ordering.•


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