Sarah Butlin
& Henry Smithson
Escrick Surgery
This friendly rural practice is based in the pretty village of Escrick,
which is 5 miles south of York and covers an area from Fulford in York to Barlby,
Selby and from the river Ouse to the river Derwent. There are 5,700 patients
mainly employed in management, agriculture and mining contained in a rural area
consisting of 14 small villages. There is poor public transport and hence the
practice has branch surgeries at North Duffield, Wheldrake and Naburn. There is
also a higher than average proportion of elderly patients, and the practice
offers care for five old peoples’ establishments. Care is also provided in term
time to the Queen Margarets girls’ boarding school.
The main premises in Escrick are purpose built and practice and dispenses to all patients living more than one mile away from the Fulford chemist.
There are four partners at the practice – three full-time and one half-time – two male and two female. The closely-knit clinical team also consists of two practice nurses, health visitor, a midwife, and district nurses. The practice also has a dedicated counsellor.
The practice has been training since 1976. Sarah Butlin has been a trainer since 1998. Henry Smithson, the Senior Partner has been a trainer since 1987 and is a previous Course Organiser of the York VTS. The practice has a full-time GP Registrar with Sarah Butlin as trainer. The practice also sometimes takes a Research Registrar who splits their time between clinical and research commitments. The trainer in this case would be Henry Smithson.
The practice is a designated Level ‘A’ research practice and there are a number of on-going projects taking place. There is also a part-time research assistant.
There is a full range of specialist clinics offered, including child health surveillance, antenatal, asthma/COPD, diabetes and minor surgery. There is flexibility in the time-table for the Registrar to become fully involved with any or all of these.
Taking the MRCGP while a registrar at the practice is encouraged .Two of the partners have recently passed this exam and would be glad to offer their assistance in any aspect of the Registrar’s preparation for this.
The practice is fully computerised using the EMIS clinical software. Notes are no longer routinely used in the consultations but are easily available. There is access to the internet from all computers in the practice.
Out of hours on call arrangements are through the North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors rota based at the Selby primary care centre. A full-time registrar would be expected to attend a minimum of 12 sessions during the six month attachment.