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Published: 24 July, 2023
A positive Care Quality Commission visit has led to the removal of warning notices at a Buxton GP practice. Elmwood Medical Centre received an Inadequate rating in March 2023 following an unannounced Care Quality Commission inspection. But through the team’s grit and determination to put things right, a recent Care Quality Commission interim visit recognised the immense commitment and drive from staff to implement improvements at the practice. This has resulted in the original warning notices being closed and requirement notices being issued for a small number of outstanding actions. David Beckett, chief executive of gtd healthcare, which manages the practice, said while it goes without saying that the Care Quality Commission rating and report were hugely disappointing and the past few months have been difficult for the team, the interim visit emphasises the excellent progress made in a very short space of time. “The downgrading of the warning notices has been a fantastic boost for staff as it highlights the efforts that have been invested over the past six months into analysing every area within the report and the determination to put things right,” he said. “It is our absolute priority to ensure that patients not only receive the highest quality and safest care but they feel valued and have every confidence in the practice. I hope that the recent interim visit and experience when accessing services at the practice over the past few months provide patients with the reassurance that significant improvements are underway. “The inspector recognised the vast improvements in the working environment and commended the positive culture, team spirit, morale and new management structure. First and foremost, ensuring a happy working environment is vital, as this translates into providing excellent patient care.” Improvements made to enhance patient experience were noted including purchasing a new clock to benefit dementia patients, replacing the seating in the waiting area, cosmetic work to the building and the provision of regular patient engagement activities. This forms part of a wider, long-term programme of work at the practice for the next few years and beyond, which demonstrates gtd healthcare's commitment to ensuring that the organisation achieves its goal of providing stability at the practice and patient care that excels for the future. While it is acknowledged that there are areas that still require further work, these are all part of the programme of work at Elmwood Medical Centre, which can be resolved ahead of a full re-inspection later in the autumn.
David Beckett concluded: “I cannot express the level of commitment the team and wider organisation have shown to ensuring Elmwood Medical Centre is the best it can be for our patients. We are doing everything possible to build on the fantastic foundations that are already in place at the practice, with the overall aim of ensuring that patient experience and standard of care is excellent for many years to come.”
