The Apples Medical Centre wins award
for Gold Standard End of Life Care

The Apples Medical Centre, Sherborne, Dorset has increased more than fivefold the number of patients it supports to die in their preferred place was recognised with a national award in London, on 28th September 2018.

Dr Victoria Tzortziou Brown, Integrated Care Lead at the Royal College of General Practitioners, presented The Apples Medical Centre with the Gold Standards Framework Quality Hallmark Award at a special ceremony in London. The practice is one of just four GP practices in England to receive the award in 2018.

Dr Angela Tweedie, who led the practice’s end of life care improvement programme, said that patients, their families and healthcare professionals had all benefited from the changes initiated by the GSF Primary Care Training Programme.

Dr Tweedie added: “We continue to provide good quality care based on a traditional model that means we strive to ensure our patients see their designated doctor thereby providing continuity of care.

“What’s changed for our patients is that because we are engaging them in conversations earlier about the care they want and where they want it, they and their families are much better prepared and we have far fewer crises. Most of our patients say they don’t want to go to hospital and we are better prepared to help keep them at home.”

The award recognises the work that Dr Greg Miles, Dr Steve Morris, Dr Rob Lewis, Dr Angela Tweedie and Community and Practice Nurses have done to improve end of life care, increasing significantly the number of people it identifies as approaching the end of life, particularly the number of frail elderly people. By doing this, the Practice Team has been better able to fulfil people’s wishes at this important time.

GSF gives outstanding training to all those providing end of life care to ensure better lives for people and recognised standards of care. It is the largest national programme to help improve care for patients approaching the end of life, helping health and social care professionals provide coordinated, personalised care for patients and their families and reduces hospital admissions.

Professor Keri Thomas, Clinical Director of the National GSF Centre, said: “The team at The Apples Medical Centre has demonstrated a real passion for providing quality care for all of their patients who are approaching the end of their lives. Most importantly they are helping these patients live their final months in the place and manner of their choosing, through better planning, communication and coordination. GSF provides the tools, framework and structural change to help family doctors provide ‘gold standard’ care for people nearing the end of life.”