AT Medics recently added Kings Cross Surgery (formerly known as Kings Cross Road Surgery) to its portfolio of practices, having successfully delivered an outstanding caretaker management contract for the past 12 months.

KCS and its patients have endured a long history of issues and numerous provider changes, resulting in demoralised staff, unhappy and disengaged patients, governance issues and poor quality outcomes which ultimately led to a systematic decline in patient numbers. AT Medics inherited approximately 2,100 patients in 2014, many of whom were very much dissatisfied with the previous levels of service being delivered.

Additionally, KCS has specific and unique challenges including a concentrated Bangladeshi local population with significantly high levels of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease combined with very poor outcomes and poor uptake of public health initiatives due to disengagement and language barriers.

Over the past 12 months, AT Medics has reformed KCS, achieving a massive improvement in diabetic patient care and has worked with patients and voluntary sector organisations such as Diabetes UK to develop specific literature in Bangladeshi and Sylheti, as well as installing a check-in screen, self-help terminals with language options and the recruitment of additional Bengali speaking staff.

Tackling the issues of patient disengagement head on, AT Medics initiated a patient participation group and regular meetings with SMS reminders, a dedicated PPG notice board and a translator at PPG meetings. AT Medics is also working with Kings Cross Brunswick Neighbourhood Association to reduce social isolation and to encourage community engagement.

With a near maximum QOF result, AT Medics has accepted registrations of over 600 additional patients, a vastly improved service as inspected and commented by CQC, as well as a four out of five star rating on NHS Choices. These achievements and improvements are reflected appropriately by a very positive “Friends and Family Survey”; 87% of patients are more than likely to recommend the practice to friends and family, 81% of patients are able to get through via telephone without delay and 84% of patients usually feel involved in decisions about their care and treatment.

Focussed on quality systems and clinical improvement, AT Medics is determined to continue its development of Kings Cross Surgery with patient centric priorities such as opening on Saturday mornings and piloting a seven day service (resource permitting), implementation of the innovative AT Medics “Message My GP” email service, improving PPG representation, developing patient champions and will also be working with Diabetes UK to deliver a bespoke workshop for members of the Bengali community with diabetes. AT Medics also seek to increase their clinical workforce commitment to the practice.

As leaders in medical education, AT Medics is committed to adding Kings Cross Surgery to its growing portfolio of London Deanery accredited teaching practices, and will continue their excellent reputation of developing first class GPs for London. It is with great pleasure that AT Medics accepts a five year contract to manage Kings Cross Surgery.