The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Churchmere Medical Group

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Trimpley Street, Ellesmere, Shropshire, SY12 0DB (01691) 242222

Provided and run by:
Churchmere Medical Group

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Churchmere Medical Group on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Churchmere Medical Group, you can give feedback on this service.

23 September 2019

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focused inspection at Churchmere Medical Group on 23 September 2019. We carried out an inspection of this service following our annual review of the information available to us including information provided by the practice. Our review indicated that there may have been a significant change to the quality of care provided since the last inspection.

This inspection focused on the following key questions: Safe, Effective and Well led.

Because of the assurance received from our review of information we carried forward the ratings for the following key questions: Caring and responsive

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

•what we found when we inspected

•information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and

•information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good overall and good for all population groups.

We found that:

  • The practice had clear systems, practices and processes to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse. We saw examples of effective inter-agency working to protect vulnerable patients.
  • There were adequate systems to assess, monitor and manage risks to patient safety.
  • Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs. Data showed that the practice was performing above average in the management of diabetes. The practice offers insulin initiation both within the practice and through home visits.
  • The practice’s performance in relation to childhood immunisations exceeded the World Health Organisations’ based target.
  • The practice employed its own mental health practitioner. Data showed that the percentage of patients with dementia whose care plan had been reviewed in the proceeding 12 months was significantly higher than the CCG and national average.
  • Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care. The leadership and management team demonstrated that they understood the challenges to quality and sustainability and had identified the actions needed to address these challenges and had adapted to changes in the health service provision locally.
  • The practice has a strong link with the community through a range of initiatives. The practice demonstrated a strong commitment to staff’s professional development.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

  • Ensure a documented risk assessment is completed to determine the range of emergency medicines held at the practice.
  • Ensure that Patient Group Directions (PGD’s) used at the practice have been signed as adopted by their organisation.
  • Review the governance and oversight regarding how fridge temperatures are monitored.
  • Ensure correspondence relating to children who have not attended their secondary care appointment is reviewed appropriately.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

18 June 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Ellesmere Medical Practice 18 June 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led, services. It was also good for providing services for older people; people with long-term conditions; families, children and young people; working age people; people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
  • Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of leaving medicines for collection at a local hairdresser.
  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

We saw the following areas of outstanding practice:

  • The practice had used the NHS strategy, ‘Five Year Forward View’ to develop their vision for the way in which they would lead and develop services to meet the future needs of their patients. This included the development of a multispecialty hub to work in partnership with and integrate with other services, agencies and professionals. They had met with the clinical commissioning group (CCG) to discuss putting forward a business plan to develop this.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly the provider should:

  • Review significant events and complaints over time to identify any themes or trends.
  • Carry out a risk assessment to ensure that medicines left for collection at a local hairdresser are handled appropriately. This should include, the safe storage of medicines at the hairdresser, how patient confidentiality is maintained and checks that the person storing the medicines is a fit and proper person to do so. The practices’ dispensing standard operating procedures should be updated to include how these checks are to be carried out.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice