Stroud GP surgery rated Outstanding by Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found the quality of care provided by Dr Weir and Partners, Minchinhampton, Stroud, Gloucestershire, to be Outstanding following an inspection in November 2015.

The practice in Bell Lane provides primary medical care services to approximately 7,500 patients.

Inspectors found that the practice was providing a safe, caring, effective, responsive and well-led service that meets the needs of the population it serves.

A full report of the inspection has now been published.

Under CQC’s new programme of inspections, all England’s GP practices are being given a rating according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

The report on Dr Weir and Partners highlights a number of areas of outstanding practice, including:

• The practice identified alternative funding opportunities to fund additional services such as exercise classes, counselling and acupuncture.
• The practice was aware of the poor public transport network in Minchinhampton and responded by arranging transport for patients with mobility issues.
• The practice had won a quality award from the Primary Care Respiratory Society for the work it had undertaken to improve staff training, equipment and patient pathway from diagnosis to treatment at the practice.
• The practice funded additional training for staff, for example, masters in science in respiratory care for the senior nurse practitioner, masters in science in health informatics and in management for the practice manager.

Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of General Practice said:

“I am delighted for Dr Weir and Partners to highlight the exceptional service at their practice. People are entitled to services which provide safe, effective, compassionate and high quality care. The GPs and staff at the surgery have worked hard to demonstrate a real commitment to their patients. All of this hard work and dedication pays off in making a real difference for their patients – which is why we have found this practice to be Outstanding. I hope other  practices will see this as a model for excellent care.”

Ruth Rankine, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice in CQC’s South region said:

“It is clear that Dr Weir and Partners are providing a safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led service which is a real asset to the people living in this part of Gloucestershire.

“Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their treatment and care. Our inspectors found the practice to be outstanding for providing effective and responsive services and good for providing safe, caring and well led services.

“The hard work of staff at this practice pays off in making a real difference to patients – which is why we have found this practice to be Outstanding.”

Ends

For further information please contact John Scott, CQC Regional Engagement Manager, on 07789875809. For media enquiries, journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here. For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.