Staff and patients were rocked by the death of the senior partner at Dr Hussain’s practice – The Project Surgery in Plaistow, east London. As well as dealing with the emotional shockwaves, Dr Hussain was left with a practical problem – she became the sole principal.
She immediately identified the need to streamline appointment processes. By making shorter telephone consultations the fi rst point of access, Dr Hussain increased appointments from 15 to 20 per GP session. With the average day comprising two GPs working two sessions each, this created an additional 20 daily appointments and reduced DNAs. Other initiatives she has implemented have increased the number of clinician appointments booked online from 20% to 80% and reduced DNAs for the nurseled travel clinic, saving two hours of nurse time each week.
She has forged stronger relationships with pharmacists. Signposting patients with hay fever to community pharmacy has freed up two GP hours per week. As one of the only GPs in Newham to share GP records with a community pharmacist, Dr Hussain has enabled safe joint working in the borough’s award-winning latent tuberculosis service. With electronic prescribing at 86% at her own surgery, Dr Hussain champions the practice at conferences and through a video with Wessex Academic Health Science Network to boost e-prescribing.
What colleagues say: ‘Farzana is a role model to me. Her courage, curiosity and hunger for learning are inspiring’ Dr Iram Ali, salaried GP, The Project Surgery, London
