Collaborative Practice blooms at a GP practice in Kent
“We’re a community now, not just a doctor’s surgery”
“There have definitely been some subtle changes within the practice. It has more of a community feel now” says Assistant Practice Manager Vicky McCarthy from Meopham Medical Centre in Kent, when asked how implementing Collaborative Practice has made a difference within her practice.
“The staff feel like we’re more of a community now, not just a doctor’s surgery, and the partners have seen a difference, especially with the garden.”
The practice was supported by NHS Kent & Medway to participate in Altogether Better’s Collaborative Practice Leadership Development Programme and receive practical support and guidance to develop this new model of care in their practice.
As Vicky implies, Collaborative Practice isn’t just making a difference indoors - champions and the team have transformed the outdoors, too.
Making a garden for everyone
The patch of land outside the surgery used to be empty space – just a stretch of grass running along the length of the building – but now it is so much more.
Vicky says, “Our community garden has been a big hit. Nothing had ever been done with the space and now it looks amazing. It's been a really positive project that's worked really well.”
One champion in particular, Lea , is a keen gardener. When Vicky suggested that it would be lovely to turn the space outside the practice building into something both staff and patients could enjoy, Lea rose to the challenge. With a group of other champions, he has worked hard to turn the garden into a beautiful place.
Together, the champions created a great space for patients and staff to use, with a gate to the garden just next to the entrance to the medical centre. In the garden, there are benches where people can sit to rest in the fresh air and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. The team has planted and nurtured beautiful flowers including the showstopping Nye Bevan rose, named after the founder of the NHS.
A grant from the local parish council paid for some of the initial set-up costs, including the fencing and benches. It has become a lovely place, where patients and staff like to sit.
Lea says creating the garden is the thing he is most proud of doing as a champion. He says, “The garden is a tangible achievement seen by all the patients and the staff team.”
Some of the garden backs onto clinical rooms, so for privacy reasons the garden was initially split in half and the champions started work at the front. Now the practice has decided to add privacy film to the clinic windows, so that the rest of the outside space can also be transformed, making an even bigger, better garden area for everyone to use.
A bigger impact
Both out in the garden and inside the practice, the champions are making an impact, collaborating with the team on new non-clinical activities and offers that patients can be connected to. For example, a group meets regularly to ‘walk and talk’ and picks up litter in the local area. Within the surgery itself, champions have supported staff at clinics for people having vaccinations. Currently in the planning stages is a befriending service, staying in touch with patients who need some support or who may be a little isolated, particularly through the challenging winter months.
To mark the King’s coronation, pupils from nearby secondary schools created a time capsule and it was buried in the community garden. The pupils held a ceremony to mark the event and there is a plaque in place, marking the time capsule and suggesting it should be dug up to mark the next coronation.
The champions have discussed involving the children in the garden and would like to bring together a mixed group of younger and older people to grow some vegetables and develop a kitchen garden.
For now, Vicky is making plans for a community day, running health and wellbeing activities while also celebrating the transformation of the garden with an official opening.