This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating April 2015 – Outstanding)
We found that although some of the previous outstanding elements had been retained within the practice further development of these initiatives had not been implemented since our previous inspection.
The key questions at this inspection are rated as:
Are services safe? – Good
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Good
Are services well-led? - Good
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Frome Valley Medical Centre on 7 August 2018 as part of our inspection programme.
At this inspection we found:
- The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
- The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
- Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
- Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
- There was a focus on and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
- The practice had a very active patient participation group who were responsible for initiated some innovative projects such as the Combatting Loneliness and Isolation Project to identify community links and resources which could provide social contact and support for patients.
The areas where the provider should make improvements are:
- Review document management to ensure that all recruitment documentation is held in one place.
- Review the protocol for exception reporting so that the decision making process is clear.
- Risk assess the emergency medicines which were not held by the practice.
- Review processes to establish a programme of clinical review of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care provided.
Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice
Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.