A HEALTHCARE boss insists healthcare in Thurrock is improving rapidly following an 18-month plan to turn things around.

Rahul Chaudauri, head of primary care at Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group, revealed the findings in an exclusive interview with the Gazette.

The CCG, which is responsible for commissioning health services in the borough, was facing a crisis at the time Mr Chaudauri took over, he claimed.

It saw just two out of its 32 GP practices rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, the healthcare regulator.

Mr Chaudauri went on to reveal that an extensive plan carried out in 18 months has seen 20 out of 30 practices inspected are now rated as good. Just five are rated inadequate and five rated as requires improvement. Two practices are yet to be inspected.

He also paid tribute to the work of a specialist support team that helped to turn things around in Thurrock.

He said: “I took over 18 months ago and there were only two practices which were rated as good. Most of them were in special measures or requiring improvement.

“We put together a support team to work with the practices and assigned a support manager to each area and have got them working together to support one another, and work out where they can share good practice.

“It has also seen us sit down with the Care Quality Commission and ask ‘what are the trends’ and ‘what are they finding’. That’s what has been happening over the past 18 months.”

Mr Chaudauri also acknowledged there is still more work to be done, and that the CCG is also bidding to cut down on the number of unnecessary A&E visits to Basildon Hospital.

He said: “We are working on getting more technology for GP appointments and out-of-hour access to our hubs.

“We are working with Basildon Hospital to weed out inappropriate A&E appointments, which we believe can be done with collaborative primary care.”

It comes as the CCG is also working with a hospice to help families come to terms with bereavement.

Residents are being asked to celebrate life by sharing their favourite images of friends, family or pets that have died to promote “why dying matters.”

In Thurrock, St Luke’s Hospice and the CCG have teamed up to help families and friends plan if someone they love is nearing the end of their life.

The online campaign, called Die Well Essex, and is being supported by health, social care, charities and voluntary groups across the county in the lead up to a national awareness week called Dying Matters from May 8 to 14.

Louise Banks, Head of Communications and Engagement at the CCG, said: “Some people still find it impossible to talk about dying and death.

“But we support the way of thinking that sharing experiences, making plans and doing things to improve quality of life before dying can turn a sad time into a time of making positive memories.

“We hope you will come and share your experiences and pictures with us at Grays Shopping Centre on May 10.”