North East London
On 1 October 2025, Operose Health took on caretaking contracts for Victoria & Five Elms Medical Centre and Rainham Health Centre under North East London ICB.
Just eight weeks later the difference in access, outcomes and patient experience is already palpable across both practices. Strong leadership, fast mobilisation and consistent support from day one has helped them regain stability, improve patient access and make significant strides in clinical quality, all within a short space of time.
Getting the basics right quickly
From the moment we stepped in, our priority was to keep services running safely and smoothly for patients and practice teams.
- Our clinical and operational leadership teams were on-site from day one, supporting colleagues and ensuring continuity of care for patients.
- On day one at Rainham Health Centre, we appointed an interim Practice Manager, providing immediate leadership and clear accountability.
- Within 72 hours, we had integrated our analytical tool (EZ Analytics) across the practices, giving us real-time visibility of performance and enabling teams to make quick, informed decisions to improve patient care.
- Our Performance & Analytics team began supporting patient recall campaigns. Supporting patients to re-engage with their care and improve long-term condition management, enhancing their overall health and wellbeing.
Progress within the first two weeks
Within a fortnight, both practices felt more stable and were better supported.
- Flu vaccine shortages were resolved, vaccinating more local residents to help prevent serious illness and reduce the risk of hospitalisation this winter.
- Patients gained easier access to primary care through our online consultation tool Dr.iQ (powered by Evergreen Life), along with GP-led triage to manage demand more efficiently and ensuring patients are seen by the right team member, to best suit their needs, first time.
- To align with NHS England’s expectations and to deliver on the aims of the NHS 10-Year Plan and the new 2025/26 GP Contract, we increased access to routine care by focusing on equity, safety and operational consistency.
- Colleagues were encouraged to join ImproveWell, our internal improvement platform, helping create a sense of shared ownership, positive change and giving colleagues a voice.
- Colleagues received governance training to help embed consistent processes and safe ways of working.
One month in - building momentum, capacity and confidence
By the end of the first month, early stability had turned into meaningful improvement.
- Two previously unused clinical rooms were opened, increasing capacity and access to primary care.
- Healthtech-1 online registrations went live, removing barriers to accessing primary care services and freeing up valuable colleague time to care for patients.
- Blood testing services were implemented at Rainham, something patients specifically asked for. This has improved patient experience and keeps care within the community - in line with the NHS 10-year plan.
- Feedback began to shift. The Rainham PPG chair expressed reassurance at the pace of progress, and we’ve committed to regular quarterly meetings from January 2026.
- Recruitment is underway at Victoria & Five Elms to strengthen on-site leadership further with an Assistant Practice Manager role.
- Long term nursing and GP locum colleagues became employed with Operose Health to maintain continuity of care for our patients.
- A full Quality Assurance review was completed by our Governance support team, with immediate actions being taken to improve patient care and safety, where needed.
- Regular patient engagement events now in place such as fortnightly coffee mornings at Rainham - following PPG feedback, as well as smoking cessation outreach clinics.
- From January 2026 the smoking cessation clinic in Victoria and Five Elms Medical Centres will be held in conjunction with the Barking and Dagenham specialist mental health tobacco dependence advisor.
Recognising the high levels of local unemployment in the local area, and the impact unemployment has a wider determinant of health, on 13 November we organised a Department for Work & Pensions drop-in session at Rainham. These sessions will be held regularly at both Rainham and Victoria Medical Centre, demonstrating our commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of the communities that we serve.
Clinical performance - measurable improvement in weeks
Victoria & Five Elms Medical Centre
Within the first 2 weeks (vs baseline):
- QOF points increased by +26.3
- Learning Disability reviews +21.8%
- Heart Failure reviews +10.8%
- Diabetes 8 Care Processes +4.7%; COPD reviews +4.3%; Asthma reviews +4.8%
- NHS Health Check (alcohol/CVD risk coding) up +35.1%, indicating improved workflow and coding practices
- Flu vaccination uptake improved for: over-65s (+17.5%), under-65s (+8.5%), pregnant women (+10.1%).
Within one month (vs baseline):
- QOF points up +93.8
- Heart Failure reviews improved dramatically: +56.8%, reflecting the improvements made to patient recall and management of complex patients
- Breast screening uptake +27.1%: evidencing improvement in coding accuracy
- Cervical screening rose by an average of 13.9% across all age groups
- Diabetes 8 Care Processes +10.5%
- Learning Disability reviews rose by a further 26.9%
- Severe Mental Illness (SMI) reviews +13.1%
- Flu vaccination uptake increased further: over-65s +37.1%; under-65s +16.7%; children +16.2%.
- Friends & Family Test feedback process was reestablished and positive experience rose to over 80%.
Rainham Health Centre
Within first 2 weeks (vs baseline):
- QOF points increased by +50.9
- NHS Health Check (alcohol/CVD risk coding) +42.1%
- Learning Disability reviews rose by 4.1%
- Flu vaccination uptake rose: over-65s +25.8%; under-65s +9%; children +10.4%
Within 1 month (vs baseline):
- QOF points up +141.9
- Breast screening uptake +39.6%
- Cervical screening rose by an average of 21.45% across all age groups
- Heart Failure reviews: 18.2% completion, where none recorded at baseline, demonstrating initiation of previously ineffective chronic-disease review pathways
- COPD reviews improved +11.7%, strengthened chronic disease management across multiple disease areas
- Diabetes 8 Care Processes +7.1%; Triple Target +4.0%, positive early signs of effective case-finding and long-term management approach
- Flu vaccinations increased further: over-65s +37.1%; under-65s +13.7%; children +16.2%
- NHS Health Check (alcohol/CVD risk coding) maintained strong performance: +40.2% above baseline.
- Friend & Family Test results rose by 26%.
What this tells us
By the end of the first month:
- Both practices were stable, supported and recovering quickly
- Quality and safety strengthened, with improved patient experience
- Chronic disease management and screening performance rose sharply
- Workforce morale increased through better structure, clearer governance and shared improvement ownership
This is the kind of transformation we are proud to deliver, fast, safe, measurable and patient-centred.
Why Operose Health is a trusted caretaker partner for ICBs
The early results at Victoria & Five Elms Medical Centre and Rainham reflect what we bring to any caretaking environment:
- We mobilise quickly: with leadership and operational support from day one. Taking the team with us on the journey
- We create stability fast: ensuring services remain safe and patients continue to be cared for.
- We bring structure, governance and data-driven improvement: with EZ Analytics, Dr.iQ and central support accelerating progress.
- We restore and expand capacity: opening clinical rooms, implementing key services like bloods, and improving workflows.
- We deliver outcomes that matter: rapid improvements in QOF, screening and long-term condition management.
- We listen to patients and colleagues: rebuilding trust, supporting wellbeing and putting continuous improvement at the heart of daily practice.
Looking ahead
Our focus over the coming months is to:
- Consolidate and sustain the improvements in clinical quality, access and patient experience;
- further strengthen chronic disease management and preventive care across both practices;
- embed long-term leadership and management capacity;
- deepen engagement with patients and the community through regular PPGs, tailored outreach, and responsive services.
The transformation already underway at Victoria & Five Elms and Rainham Health Centre is proof that when an ICB needs a reliable, responsive partner, Operose Health can step in, stabilise quickly and deliver tangible improvement at pace.